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THROUGH JUNGLE 

AND WILDERNESS 


BY ^ 

EDWARD S. ELLIS 


AUTHOR OF "THE LAND OF WONDERS," "A WAIF OF THE 
MOUNTAINS," "RED PLUME," ETC. 


NEW YORK 

THE MERSHON COMPANY 


PUBLISHERS 


TWO COPIES HECEIVED, 


Library of Congre8% 
Office of the 

NOV 2 5 

Rogister of Copyrights. 



48573 

Copyright, 1899, by 
I THE MERSHON COMPANY. 


SECOND COPY, 

JV«-o 4^1 .''‘5 3 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 



PAGE 

I. 

What Befell the Schooner “Mary Ann,” 

, 

I 

II. 

Fighting a Whale, .... 



II 

III. 

A Strange Peril, .... 



21 

IV. 

A Desperate Swimming Race, 

• • 


31 

V. 

On the Coast, .... 

• e 


36 

VI. 

A Shadowy Danger, 

• • 


46 

VII. 

Thieves of the Night, 



56 

VIII. 

A Startling Robbery, 



66 

IX. 

In the Lion’s Den, .... 



76 

X. 

On the Brink of Success or Failure, 



86 

XI. 

A Daring Effort, .... 



96 

XII. 

Treed, 



106 

XIII. 

Wandering in the Wood, 



116 

XIV. 

Traveling Inland, .... 



126 

XV. 

Vega, the Guide, .... 



136 

XVI. 

In the Solitudes, .... 



1.16 

XVII. 

A Terrible Danger, 




XVIII. 

The Search 



i 65 

XIX. 

A Happy Meeting, .... 



176 

XX. 

In a Tropical Forest, 



186 

XXI. 

The Haunted Island, 



196 

XXTI. 

A Lonely Encampment, . 



206 

XXTII. 

Wonderful Music in the Air, 



216 

XXIV. 

Reconnoitering the Haunted Island, 



222 


iii 


CONTENTS. 


iv 


CHAPTER 



PAGE 

XXV. 

On the Haunted Island, 

. 

. 230 

XXVI. 

A Strange Exploration, 

. 

. 237 

XXVII. 

Subterranean Explorations, 

. 

. 245 

XXVIII. 

A Desperate Scheme 

. 

. 252 

XXIX. 

In the Furnace, 

. 

. 262 

XXX. 

Running for Life, .... 

. 

. 270 

XXXI. 

An Alarming Discovery— A Disappointment, 

. 278 




Through Jungle and Wilderness 


CHAPTER I 

WHAT BEFELL THE SCHOONER "" MARY ANN 

Near the middle of the month of May, 1868, a sin- 
gular accident befell the coasting schooner Mary Ann, 
while on a voyage from Panama to lower California. 

The vessel, at the time of the misfortune, was off a 
projection of land between Acapulco and Coynca, and 
was sailing along in a mild sea, with a clear sky over- 
head, and with every prospect of a pleasant and un- 
eventful voyage ; for the season was not only favorable 
for such a consummation, but the schooner was under 
the command of one of the most skillful captains along 
the Pacific coast. 

That officer was John Winch, a native of Boston, a 
whaler of a dozen years’ experience, and a veteran of 
the ocean who had commanded an East Indiaman, and 
who was known and in demand in a score of the leading 
seaports of the globe. 

At first thought it will seem strange to our readers 
that, if Captain Winch was such an experienced and 

z 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


valuable officer, he should content himself with the 
charge of a small coasting schooner, creeping along 
at regular intervals between Panama, and Lower Cali- 
fornia ; but the explanation which the captain gave us, 
when talking over the matter with him, will be accepted 
as sufficient by all those who may feel any interest in 
him and his fortunes. 

While on one of his voyages, a dozen years before. 
Captain Winch formed a strong attachment for a 
Mexican lady whom he met at Vera Cruz. The affec- 
tion was mutual and in a brief time the two were mar- 
ried. Not until then did the captain learn that his 
bride was possessed of considerable wealth; and, as 
the old salt, like most of his class, was a rolling stone 
that was never able to gather any moss, we cannot but 
think that the discovery was not the most unpleasant 
one that he could have made. 

The wife wished her husband to abandon those long 
voyages which sometimes kept him away from his na- 
tive land for years at a time, and he was equally desir- 
ous of remaining at home and enjoying as much of the 
society of his beautiful and amiable wife as possible. 

As is generally the case, it was the wife who solved 
the problem, and it was done in the easiest manner pos- 
sible. 

The captain had been a follower of the sea so long 
that he was fitted for no other business, and if he were. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


3 


he was sure to find it hard work to settle down to the 
steady, unchanging routine of some different occupa- 
tion ; so the wife purchased a coasting schooner for him 
and paid for it herself, turning it over to him as a little 
“ testimonial ” of her respect for her gallant husband. 

The captain selected his own coasting-ground, and 
she made the first few voyages in his company ; but, as 
he was gone but a short time on these little trips, she 
finally settled in Panama, where her home became one 
of the most delightful we have ever known. 

All this, bear in mind, was a dozen years before the 
incident that must be related with the least possible de- 
lay. 

The schooner Mary Ann, while on the voyage up the 
Mexican coast in the month of May, 1868, had six 
souls on board. In the first place, there was Captain 
Winch himself, grizzled, scarred and weather-beaten 
by his buffetings with storm and tempest in every zone 
round the wide world, but with a heart in which the 
sunshine was always shining; and then came his three 
men that composed his crew, all good and trusty sailors, 
who had served under him for years, and who could not 
be enticed away by any sort of service or amount of 
wages. 

Besides these there were two very important person- 
ages whom we have purposely left for the last. 

One was the captain's brother-in-law, Senor Alfredo 


4 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Alfiero, christened in the American style by the captain 
as “ Frede.” 

He was a gentleman of education and wealth, who 
had traveled a great deal, who was still unmarried, and 
whose earthly affections seemed centred in three per- 
sons. The first of these was his brother-in-law, the 
American captain, the second was his only sister, the 
wife of the captain, and last, but not least, was the only 
child of the couple, little Jack Winch, barely ten years 
of age, who was the remaining member of the crew of 
the Mary Ann on the voyage of which we have made 
mention. 

The captain was one of the sturdiest of Americans, 
as he showed in everything. When his wife made him 
the present of the saucy little schooner, it bore the name 
of some one of the innumerable saints held in such high 
repute in the Roman Catholic countries, a name which 
filled him with such dislike that he drew the paint-brush 
through it and christened it the Mary Ann. 

“ There,'' he said, as he stood off a small ways and 
admired it, “ nobody can make any mistake about that 
name. That's genuine American all over." 

And then, before he married his wife, she was known 
as Senorita Peggiota, but the captain shortened it by 
pronouncing it '' Peggy," and when her brother came 
along he was called ‘Trede," as we have already shown, 
though the captain preferred to make that still more 
American by dubbing him ‘‘ Fred." 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 5 

The two thus named accepted their titles without the 
least objection on their part, and somehow or other 
seemed to love the honest old captain the more for his 
sturdy pride in his own country and institutions. 

The only child which came to bless this happy union 
was named for his father, as a matter of course, and 
everybody came to know him as “ Jack,” and, while he 
possessed his mother’s beautiful, dark, lustrous eyes 
and her expressive mouth, yet there was something in 
the make-up of the lad which led the father’s acquaint- 
ances, when they stopped at his house, to pronounce 
him a chip of the old block. 

But Uncle Frede came to the conclusion that there 
was never such a wonderful boy born into this world 
as little Jack. He visited his sister when the child was 
about a year old, and that settled his business, so to 
speak. 

Uncle Frede ” had just completed his arrange- 
ments for making a lengthy tour through the United 
States, and had run down to Panama to bid his beloved 
sister good-by ; but after spending two or three days at 
her home he concluded that it would never do to exile 
himself from such a phenomenon as her boy. Despite 
its tender age, he insisted that his sister should allow 
him to take the little fellow along with him, promising 
to provide a half dozen servants who should anticipate 
his every wish ; but the mother speedily convinced him 


6 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


of the absurdity of the proposition, and he said no more 
about it until the time came for him to go, when he bade 
the husband and wife good-by, and departed, as the 
couple believed, to be gone for years, but at the end of 
a month he reappeared among his friends, who were as 
much surprised as delighted. In answer to their in- 
quiries, he felt that it was his duty to come down to 
Panama and see that that child had justice done him. 
There was no telling what might happen while he, the 
wise uncle, was away. He had concluded to defer his 
American tour until the lad should become old enough 
to bear him company. 

This will . illustrate the affection which the uncle 
formed for the boy — an affection which could hardly be 
placed second to that of the parents themselves. 

As Jack grew older, he was allowed to go on little 
excursions with his relative, and it was arranged that 
within a few months of the time to which we refer he 
was to be taken North and placed in an American in- 
stitution of learning. 

Uncle Frede was quite a naturalist and hunter, and 
the two had made several journeys together into the 
dense forests which so abound in that part of the tropics 
in which the lad was born. 

They had gone on numerous voyages with the father 
up the coast, and had extracted much enjoyment there- 
from ; but the most eventful one was that of which we 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


1 


are speaking ; and, having finished the few words that 
were necessary by way of introduction, we shall now 
proceed with our narrative. 

The day, it will be remembered, was mild and clear, 
and there was no one on board the Mary Ann who was 
looking for anything out of the ordinary course, mat- 
ters flowing along as quietly as it does with the boy who 
is on his way to school, and who is confident that he 
knows every word of his lessons. 

Uncle Frede and Jack were standing at the bow of 
the schooner looking off to sea, and watching a score 
or more of whales continually rising and blowing about 
the vessel. 

They had seen these before, and indeed the sight was 
so common that they were looking at them for want of 
something better to do. 

Some of them were so close to the Mary Ann that 
they would have caused alarm among the crew had the 
men been strangers to the sight. 

When a great broad, dark area of surface suddenly 
heaved up to view within stone’s throw of the vessel the 
lad would call out to his uncle to look, and the two 
would watch the sportive monster until it sank out of 
sight a few minutes after. 

So long as these leviathans of the deep are undis- 
turbed by the passing steamers and vessels, there is no 
danger, and there are few of our readers who have 


8 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


made the voyage to California that have not passed 
through a school of whales at their gambols — the enor- 
mous creatures playing around the ships like the por- 
poises along the Atlantic coast. 

The Mary Ann had been gliding through this school 
for something over an hour, and was nearly clear of 
them, when Jack called out, in the greatest excitement ; 

“ Look there. Uncle Frede! there is a whale coming 
right for us ! '' 

‘‘ Nonsense! they wouldn’t do that unless we should 
interfere with them, and then ” 

The gentleman said no more, for he as well as Cap- 
tain Winch, who happened to be standing near, saw 
that the boy had spoken the truth. 

No more than a hundred yards away, the ocean was 
lashed into foam, such as is seen when the cyclone 
sweeps over its vast waste, and amid the rush and swirl 
and tempest was distinguishable the front of an enor- 
mous whale, making straight for the Mary Ann. 

There was no possible escape from the blow more 
than there is for the Alpine village which lies in the 
path of the descending avalanche. 

The whale was scarcely seen when he struck the ship 
just quartering her bow, and stove an immense hole 
clean through her planking. 

Captain Winch had witnessed something like this be- 
fore, in the upper Pacific, when his vessel collided with 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


9 


one of the creatures, and he expected to see the whale 
return to the charge until the schooner went down; 
but, instead of doing so, after delivering its tremendous 
butt, it turned about and was soon indistinguishable 
among the many of its species that were in the rear of 
the injured vessel. 

Captain Winch still hoped to save his pet vessel, 
which was filling rapidly, especially as the projecting 
land was no more than a mile distant. 

The crew were set to work filling the opening 
through which the water was pouring with frightful 
rapidity, and the boat was headed directly toward 
shore, with all sail crowded. 

The wind was so light that the movement was slow, 
but the men were quite successful in checking the break. 

“ Now, if they will let us alone,’' said the captain, 
alluding to the whales, “ we shall be able to make land 
and save her.” 

The progress continued slow, and there was no little 
apprehension that the whale which had delivered such 
a crushing blow would send in another, in which event 
the vessel was sure to go down, and the crew would 
have to take to their boats that were held in instant 
readiness against such an emergency. 

We have so shifted our position,” said Alfredo, 
'' that the whale has gone off among his comrades to 
tell of his exploit, so that I think he will have hard work 


10 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


to find us if he should wish to do so. I suppose we 
must have angered him by bumping against him.'^ 

“ I presume so, though I have no recollection of any 

jar such as would have resulted ” 

Oh, father ! there he comes again ! ” broke in the 
terrified Jack. 

'‘So he is,’' responded the parent, as his scarred 
countenance put on a deeper expression of alarm ; “ the 
days of the Mary Ann are numbered 1 ” 


CHAPTER II 


FIGHTING A WHALE 

When a leviathan of the deep makes up his mind to 
go for a vessel which has crossed his path, there isn't 
much hope of the craft escaping the terrific collision. 

Like a skillful boxer, the whale seemed to have meas- 
ured very carefully his distance, and when he delivered 
the second blow, it was of the most destructive char- 
acter. 

The explosion of a torpedo could scarcely have been 
more fatal in its results. 

The latter charge of the monster took the Mary Ann 
in almost precisely the same point that received the 
first. 

The result was not only the driving in of the blank- 
ets and stuffing placed there to prevent the inflow of 
the water, but the opening was doubled in size, and the 
ocean was heard rushing inward, like the sweep of a 
raceway. 

The schooner was doomed beyond all hope, and must 
soon go to the bottom — a result which Captain Winch 
saw even before the whale struck his craft the second 
time. 


II 


12 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


The Mary Ann was provided with but the single 
small boat, which was lowered on the instant — no time 
being lost in placing water or provisions within, when 
the shore was so close that the necessity did not exist. 

Time only was taken to place the six souls within, 
with the oars, when they shoved off and pulled for 
land. 

Rapid as had been these movements — and the men 
understood their work so well, that there was no delay 
— the crew had no more than launched themselves upon 
the Pacific, when it was seen that the schooner had sunk 
to her deck, and in a few more minutes must disappear 
forever from sight. 

Two or three long powerful pulls at the oars placed 
the small boat out of danger of being drawn into the 
momentary maelstrom always created by the sinking 
of a large body in deep water, and the captain and his 
men rested on their blades to watch the vessel as she 
went down. 

Only a short time were they forced to wait. 

Steadily the stern sank, until the deck and gunwale 
appeared to rest for a moment, as if gathering for the 
last plunge, and then the bow rose high in air, poised 
itself for an instant, and then slid down as if it were 
descending a grooved plain, shooting out of sight into 
the bottom of the Pacific. 

It had gone to join the great fleet which had been 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


13 


gathering for thousands of years in the great deep, 
whose crews shall remain in those cavernous depths 
until that great day when the sea shall give up its dead. 

As was a characteristic custom of Captain Winch, 
different from the usual practice, to keep the Star- 
Spangled Banner floating from the topmast, so that 
the last glimpse they obtained of the gallant little vessel 
was that beautiful banner, as it swept downward and 
shot hissing beneath the surface. 

There ! ” exclaimed the captain, with a sigh, 
'' there goes one of the best little vessels that ever 
floated ; but thank God she takes none of us with her, 
and as soon as I get back to Panama, to the best little 
wife in the world, I shall have her counterpart to sail 
over the same ground with her. Pull away, my 
hearties, for shore. 

Having escaped a watery grave, it was to be sup- 
posed that the small boat, with its half-dozen occupants, 
was safe from further peril. 

And so ordinarily they would have been, but the 
school of whales which had resented this intrusion upon 
their domains in such a marked manner was still about 
them, and to reach the land it was necessary to make 
their way through them. 

Captain Winch held strong hope of accomplishing 
this successfully, but he was not without some dread 
that the same infuriated monster might be prowling 


14 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


SO near them that he would take means of completing 
the disastrous work so well begun. 

He grasped a couple of oars himself, and instructed 
the others to row with great caution, feeling every foot 
of the way, as it may be said, while they held them- 
selves in readiness to back water, or to shoot ahead as 
swiftly as possible, just as the emergency might de- 
mand. 

Here and there, at varying distances, the surface of 
the water was broken by some of the immense creatures 
coming to the top, while the fountain-like jets that con- 
tinually shot into the air showed that there was enough 
lubricating material afloat to furnish a goodly-sized 
city. 

As yet, none of these creatures had appeared close 
enough to the little boat to excite alarm, or to raise the 
fear that they had any designs against the occupants 
thereof. 

Young Jack and his uncle were seated near the stern 
of the boat, looking ahead at the land they were ap- 
proaching, more than at the water around them, though 
they occasionally took a glance at closer objects, for 
they instinctively felt that the perils were yet threaten- 
ing them. 

The captain, like a true commander, used his eyes 
continually, sensible that death was liable to come from 
any quarter and at any time. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


15 


Jack saw that they were approaching a shore, which 
was low and sandy, but in the interior it rapidly rose 
into hills and mountainous ranges, among which he 
knew all manner of animals and strange reptiles and 
plants were to be found. 

He was thinking what a grand thing it would be if 
his uncle would lead him upon some exploring expedi- 
tion into the interior, where they would be sure to dis- 
cover enough wonders to last them a lifetime as a theme 
for discussion. 

Jack had got thus far, we say, when he turned to ask 
his father whether some arrangement was not possible 
by which such an exploration could be made ; but he ob- 
served that the attention of his parent was so taken in 
the management of the boat, that, like a wise boy, he 
concluded to let him alone until a better opportunity 
was presented. 

The lad leaned over the gunwale and looked down 
into the water, which was so clear that he could pene- 
trate a great depth. 

The sea was calm, the little craft occasionally rising 
on the top of one of those long heavy swells so peculiar 
to the Pacific. 

There was nothing like the short chopping sea nat- 
ural to the Atlantic at certain seasons. 

The boy knew he was looking deep down into the 
crystalline depths; but, far as it was, it gave him no 
glimpse of the bottom. 


i6 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

That was so far, far below that the strongest vision 
could not penetrate to the bottom. 

A whale blew so near the boat and so directly in 
front, that the captain suddenly changed the direction 
they were pursuing, and uttered an expression of sur- 
prise. 

‘‘If that should happen to be the critter that butted 
in the side of the Mary Ann” said he, “ I’d really be- 
lieve that he was after us and no mistake.” 

But the whale had sunk out of sight almost at the 
same minute that he sent up his fountain into the air, 
and there was no real alarm felt concerning his inten- 
tions. 

Very probably there was no cause for any fear, 
though the events that immediately followed were of 
that nature to give grounds at least for doubt. 

Little Jack was looking down into the water over the 
gunwale, and was admiring the opacity and clearness, 
when he noticed that it was growing darker below 
him. 

It was as if they were rowing over a shallow portion 
where the black, muddy bottom was coming into view. 

This dark, cloud-like tinge grew more and more 
marked, and was still deepening swiftly, when he called 
attention to it. 

“ Uncle Frede, look how black the water is get- 
ting.” 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


*7 


“ What are you talking about, my boy ? There is no 
difference in the current. It is all the same.” 

“ No, it isn’t ; look over the side of the boat and you’ll 
see what I mean,” persisted the lad. 

The man laughingly complied, and at the first glance 
excitedly called out to his brother-in-law : 

“ Good heavens ! Back water quick ! or we are lost.” 

The captain discovered his danger at the same in- 
stant. 

An immense whale was rising to the surface directly 
beneath the boat and its occupants. 

The latter were given just time to learn the nature of 
their danger when it broke upon them. 

The next thing of which all became conscious was 
that they were ascending in the air. 

The whale had made its way upward in such a way 
that the craft, of course, preceded him, and was still 
going when it received a flirt from its tail which ended 
its career. 

Such a blow is always destructive, and it proved so 
in the present instance. 

Had the engine of death hit the boat fairly, it is 
scarcely possible that a single one of the inmates could 
have escaped. 

As it was, one of the seamen* was killed so quickly 
that he scarcely knew what it was that slew him. 

A second was so badly stunned by the same tre- 


ig THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

mendous flirt of the tail, that he drowned before he 
could recover enough of his energy to make an effort 
to swim. 

There were but four who entirely escaped all injury; 
the captain, Uncle Frede, little Jack and one of the 
sailors. 

All were excellent swimmers, the lad having acquired 
the art when he. was several years younger, and with 
the shore scarcely more than half a mile away, there 
seemed little doubt that they would succeed in making 
it. 

But the captain was afraid of another flirt of that 
terrible engine which had already worked such destruc- 
tion. 

‘‘ Here, Jack,” he called out, as he grabbed the arm 
of his boy, “ take hold of my collar and hold fast till 
we get out of this confounded place. All you’ve got 
to do is to hang on to me.” 

The lad was one whose faith in his parent was un- 
limited, and he would have followed his directions as 
implicitly as did Casabianca without himself attempting 
to reason as to the result. 

He gripped the coat-collar with all the strength at 
his command, and with the determination to hold on 
until he was told to let go, even though it carried him 
straight to the bottom of the sea. 

As Jack rose on the top of the swell, he looked off to 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WII.DERNESS 


19 


the North, and saw the green rise of vegetation which 
marked the exuberant vegetation which is such a 
marked characteristic of this portion of the tropics, and 
the thought occurred to him in that single instant that 
he was able to swim all the way to terra firma, though 
distance at sea is so deceptive that it is probable that he 
was deceived in his calculation. 

But he had his father as his reliance, and he held on 
and waited to follow his directions, unfaltering as ever 
in his faith. 

That one flirt of the tail, besides killing the two sea- * 
men, shattered the boat to splinters and lashed the sea 
around into foam. 

It was all done in a twinkling as it may be said, when 
the great cause of the mischief sank out of sight. 

Uncle Frede and the other sailor were striking out 
for land, and the captain, with his powerful stroke, was 
able not only to maintain his lead, but to gain upon 
them. 

The trouble was, that this whale — if he were the 
cause of all the mischief — was acting so strangely that 
there was no calculating what freak he might take into 
his head. 

He might come up beneath them and give them an- 
other taste of what he could do with that same tail, and 
he might not be seen at all. 

At any rate the safest course the three men and boy 


20 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS. 


could pursue was to make a change of base as quickly 
as possible, and that is precisely what they were trying 
their utmost to accomplish. 

“ Hold on now ; take a good long breath ; Tm going 
to dive down about half a mile.” 

Young Jack heard the words, and obeyed the sugges- 
tion. 

He had barely time to draw in one great draught of 
air when the cool waters closed over him. 

From some cause the captain had taken a dive, car- 
rying his boy with him. 

The submerging was a long one, and it tried the 
lungs of the boy to the utmost. 

But the father knew how much his boy could stand, 
and though he approached the very verge, he did not 
carry him over. 

Down, down the lad felt himself sinking, until it 
seemed they were making their way to the very bottom 
of the Pacific, from which there was scarcely a possi- 
bility of their ever rising again. 


CHAPTER III 


A STRANGE PERIL 

But when the rushing, humming noise was the 
strongest in the ears of the boy, he became aware that 
there was a change in the course he was pursuing. 

First came the momentary halt, such as is made when 
a diver gathers himself for the ascent. 

This was followed by a convulsive motion of the 
body of the captain, who, now having touched the bot- 
tom, was calling in his strength for the upward spring. 

The next instant the ascent was begun. 

Still little Jack held the hot air imprisoned in his 
lungs until it seemed that the distended air-vessels must 
burst. 

He knew that they were hastening to the glorious air 
and sunlight, and in a short time he could open his 
mouth and draw in the life-giving atmosphere. 

All he had to do was to hold on for a few more 
throbs of his heart until the intervening distance should 
be passed. 

At such a time, one's thoughts surge through the 
mind with amazing swiftness. 

While Jack Winch was under the water with his 


21 


22 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


father, he did as much thinking as would have occupied 
his mind for a day during ordinary times. 

Some of his imaginings, too, were of the most whim- 
sical character.’ 

He thought of mother, father, uncle, and of the din- 
ner he ate just before this whale came along and upset 
things. 

He thought of his playmates at home — of the hand- 
some jack-knife in his pocket — of several not very 
creditable things he had done to his playmates — of the 
whale — of Uncle Frede — of his father, who was tow- 
ing him through the water like a steam-tug — of the 
whale again — and so on. 

The mind is so capable of rapid lightning-like action 
that we could not begin to give a tenth part of all the 
fancies which thronged upon the lad, and caused him 
to think the time he spent under water was far greater 
than it really was. 

When the point was reached where he felt that he 
could stand no rnore, he saw that he had risen to the 
surface, and he opened his mouth with a gasp for 
breath. 

How the cool air revived him as he swallowed the 
life-giving oxygen, which seemed to penetrate to every 
portion of his panting system. 

The instant Jack could clear away the water from 
his eyes, he looked about him. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


23 


Just then he was in the act of floating to the top of 
another long swell, and his father called out : 

“ Hang fast to me, my hearty, and we shall be all 
right ; but that blasted fish is still flopping about, and it 
will take some time to pull clear of him ! ” 

“ He don’t seem to be anywhere in sight,” said the 
boy. “ Shan’t I let go and swim for shore ? ” 

Wait till I tell you to do so,” said the parent, 
sternly. ‘‘ I’m running this row, and am captain of 
the crew whether they’re in the Mary Ann or the 
sea 

Before the captain could finish all he had to say, the 
lad saw something resembling a dark cloud rising so 
near his face that he was stunned and stupefied, unable 
to guess what it meant. 

He was about to call the attention of his father to it, 
when there came a shock worse than any of the earth- 
quakes which he had felt in the tropics, and the next 
sensation was that of floating alone in the water. 

In spite of his determination to hold fast to his 
protector, his grasp was shaken loose, and he was 
obliged to move hands and feet to keep afloat. 

The lad would have cared nothing for this, but for 
the pang it caused him that his father would think he 
was disobeying him, while matters were in that con- 
fused state that he could not decide for himself what 
was best to do. 


24 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


“ Father, father ! ” he called out. “ Where are you? 
Something knocked me loose ! ” 

“ Never mind about that,” called back the cheery 
voice of his parent. Keep swimming and look out 
for the whale. The blasted lubber is here again ! ” 
What shall I do if he comes for me again? ” asked 
Jack, looking sharply about for their common enemy. 

“ Dodge him as best you can ; keep down in the 
water, so that he can’t see you.” 

That’s what I’m trying to do.” 

Were they never to get clear of the monster which 
seemed bent on the destruction of the captain and his 
son? 

Once more the whale came to the surface, and this 
time he was actually beneath the two. 

It so happened that the veteran had been caught the 
same way years before when in the Arctic Ocean, and 
such a sailor as he knew precisely what to do. 

The very instant he was sure the leviathan was under 
him, he made a furious dive and plunge to one side, 
which carried him clear of the whale and into deep 
water. 

He had no fear for himself, confident in his own 
ability to steer clear of his great foe, no matter how 
persistent he might be in pursuing him. 

But his anxiety was for little Jack, who was unac- 
customed to this sort of peril. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


25 


As good a swimmer as the lad was, he was not the 
one to do the best thing, unless through accident. 
Liable to become confused, the danger was that of get- 
ting in the way of the monster, and one blow from his 
tail would end his young life forever. 

The captain, therefore, had a desperate task on his 
hands. 

Beside looking after his own safety, he felt that he 
must do his utmost for the lad. 

Uncle Frede was in the same boat, figuratively 
speaking. 

He and the sailor who had started for the shore had 
managed, through fortuitous chance, to get out of the 
regular track of the whale, and had only to persevere 
in swimming to make land, where there was nothing to 
fear from the great creature following them. 

Perhaps it would have been best if they had kept on, 
for all that could be done for the boy was sure to be 
done by his father. 

The seaman was evidently of that opinion, for when 
he found the way comparatively open before him, he 
kept straight ahead with that long, steady sweep of his 
powerful arms which marks the skillful swimmer when 
he sets out for a long distance, and he never increased 
or slackened his speed until he dropped his feet, and 
they touched the hard sand on the bottom. 

Then he walked out, and he was safe at least. 


26 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


With Uncle Frede the case was different. 

It seemed to him too much like desertion to make for 
shore, when his relatives — and especially his nephew — • 
was in such danger. 

The foam and splash of the sea, together with the 
words which passed between Captain Winch and his 
son, told him of the desperate character of the peril 
which threatened the boy, and despite the cold water 
enveloping him, the hot chills ran down his back at the 
belief that the lad was environed by a frightful danger 
from which he could not extricate himself. 

He is doomed unless we can help him,’’ was his 
conclusion, as he turned about and put straight for the 
scene of death. 

The cry of the lad told Frede that Jack had become 
separated from his father, and the whale was so near 
that it seemed that nothing less than a miracle could 
keep him out of the way of the creature. 

The latter was certainly comporting himself with a 
consistent madness little short of the wonderful. 

Sometimes the whale, when harpooned by his ene- 
mies, makes havoc among them, but his actions are gen- 
erally guided by a sort of blind fury that makes him 
dangerous more on account of his great size than from 
any regular pursued line of attack. 

The skillful whalesman has little fear of anything 
more than a ducking when his boat goes to destruction, 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


27 


and he finds himself in the water a half mile from the 
ship. 

But, strange as it may seem, the fish in the present 
instance appeared to know that he had two of his foes 
at his mercy, and he showed no disposition to allow 
them to escape him. 

And yet as we have shown, the immense bulk of the 
fish is such that if a swimmer can keep his presence of 
mind he need have little fear of eluding the leviathan, 
if he is only fortunate enough to avoid the first blow of 
the enormous fan-like tail, which is fatal to the strong- 
est whale-boat that gets in the way. 

Young Jack, it will be remembered, was swimming 
in the water and doing his utmost to reach his father, 
from whom he had become separated when the creature 
came to the surface beneath him. 

Enormous as was the size of the mammalia, it came 
up so quickly that the boy did not realize what was go- 
ing on until he found himself lifted out of the water, 
and lying stretched at full length on the back of the 
monster. 

The whale was one of the largest of his species, and 
that portion of his back which came to above surface 
was some twenty feet long by a dozen in width. 

As Jack was in the act of swimming when caught 
in this manner, he lay flat upon his face, and actually 
made several movements with his arms and legs before 


28 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


he saw that the necessity therefor had passed for the 
time. Then he lay still and looked around him. There 
was the calm sea, the long glassy heave scarcely dis- 
turbing its face, and off to the right, was plainly dis- 
cernible the line of shore, while all around was the 
ocean, with no sight of any of his friends from whom 
he had parted but a short time before. 

‘‘ I wonder if the Vv^hale knows he has me on his 
back ? '' said Jack to himself, lying very still for fear 
of disturbing him. “If he don’t I’ll get a good 
chance to rest, and maybe can slip off and swim to land 
without his knowing what has become of me.” 

After lying thus a minute or so, he stealthily 
raised his head, and peered forward to learn whether 
the monster was aware of the singular load he was car- 
rying. The head of the whale was mostly submerged, 
and the lad was unable, from his position, to catch a 
glimpse of his eyes, from which he concluded that such 
a pygmy as he was not perceptible on the back of such 
a mass of life. Whether the whale was aware that he 
was carrying a mite of humanity can only be conject- 
ured, but it may be presumed that he was not. If he 
had Icnown that he was floating one of his enemies, it 
is not likely he would have continued the favor; but, 
taking the simplest means of dislodging him, by diving, 
would have manoeuvred again so as to bring him under 
his ponderous tail. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS, 


29 


Instead of doing so, he began moving slowly through 
the sea, as if he were searching for his prey. There was 
a thrilling excitement about this, which was not les- 
sened by the fact that the whale, instead of heading to- 
ward land, had pointed his nose to the northwest, in the 
very line which, if persevered in long enough, would 
land the rider in the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean. 

“ What shall I do 

This was the question which Jack Winch put to him- 
self a score of times in as many seconds, and which he 
found it impossible to answer. 

The most obvious course that suggested itself was 
that he should quietly slip off his perch into the water 
and strike out for land. 

But he was held fast by the fear that the moment he 
moved, the creature would learn of his presence, and 
then the fight would be renewed with all the chances 
against the lad’s life. 

The whale was making away from land and going 
quite swiftly through the water, and every minute thus 
spent was not only increasing the distance from shore, 
but it rendered the difficulty of reaching it and of es- 
caping the creature the greater. 

Father ! father ! where are you ? tell me what I shall 
do? ” called out Jack, in his terror, feeling that the peril 
was such that he must have assistance or perish. 

As he cried out in his agony, he looked around in the 


30 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


hope of catching sight of the massive head and 
shoulders of his beloved parent and hearing his cheery 
voice. 

But he could see nothing of him, nor did the welcome 
cheer come back to him. 

“ He is drowned ! he is drowned ! ” wailed the poor 
lad, and I don’t want to live if he is gone ! ” 


CHAPTER IV 


A DESPERATE SWIMMING RACE 

But to none is life sweeter than to the young. 
Scarcely had the despairing thought entered the mind 
of Jack Winch when the whale which was supporting 
him dived. Before the youth knew what had taken 
place, he found himself swimming, while the vast 
leviathan was plunging downward with arrowy speed, 
not to stop perhaps until he had reached a depth of a 
thousand feet. 

^ The next instant the lad struck out lustily for land, 
fortunately not far distant, and he was thrilled by the 
sound of his father's voice : 

“ Keep it up, my boy ; or that whale will come up and 
swallow you ! ” 

Captain Winch and Frede were coming toward him, 
but at a moderate rate, for there seemed no need of 
haste. When the three joined company, the laugh of the 
veteran whaler rang out loud and clear, for he felt that 
all danger was over. 

But never was a greater mistake made. 

The three were swimming at a leisurely speed, when 
Jack, who was a few feet to the rear, asked : 


32 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


'' Did you see that, father ? ’’ 

“ Did I see what? ” 

“ There’s some sort of fish, a little way behind me, 
acting as if he wished to keep us company. He can 
beat that whale out of sight, for just now its fin shot 
through the water swifter than anything I ever saw.” 

The two men looked at each other in dismay. 

They said nothing, but they understood what it 
meant. 

Jack had seen the fin of a shark — one of those hyenas 
of the deep, dreaded more than any other native of the 
ocean. 

They said nothing of the new and frightful peril, 
which was far greater than that they had suffered from 
the whale, but the captain, in his bantering way, spoke : 

'' Jack, ril make you a bet that Frede and I can beat 
you swimming to the shore. If you beat us. I’ll give 
you the handsomest present you ever had in all your 
life.” 

And the father pushed his speed, with a view of urg- 
ing the lad to greater efforts on the instant. 

The boy of course was unsuspicious of any danger, 
but father and uncle were in an agony of terror on his 
account. 

They knew too well what the shark of the tropics 
is, and they were well aware that if he should make 
a raid upon them, he could bite one of them in two as 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


33 


easily as if he was placed beneath the blade of the 
guillotine. 

But the shore was so close that there was time to 
reach it, if the terrific creature would hold off for a few 
minutes. 

The captain slipped his hand down and drew his 
knife, a formidable weapon, which he always carried 
with him. 

Grasping this in his right hand, where it would be 
ready for instant use, he looked significantly at his 
companion, as if to tell him to keep watch for the 
shark, and in case he was seen again to notify him at 
once. 

Alfredo nodded his head. He understood him and 
would do so. 

But little Jack was well tired out, and like all such 
lads, he did not want to attempt to make a spurt on 
the home-stretch without a commensurate wager. 

I want to know what the bet is going to be,” he 
said, increasing his speed somewhat, but still linger- 
ing to pick up what chances offered. 

“ Anything you’ve a mind to,” answered his father, 
who was too terrified to stop on particulars, ‘‘ but 
we’re so close to land that you must hurry up and 
make it, or it will be too late.” 

“ All right, I have a bet ; will you make it ? ” 

“ Yes, sir. Hurry up.” 


34 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


'' If I beat you and Uncle Frede in reaching land, 
then you are to let him and me go across the country 
to his home in Vera Cruz, instead of taking us back 
by water to Panama.” 

This was a curious wager, and ordinarily the cap- 
tain would have refused to make it, but he was under 
the stress of a great fear, which was intensifying every 
second. 

“ Yes, ril take that bet, provided you start off at 
once, without waiting to gain another stroke on me.” 

‘‘ All right, here goes.” 

And the lad struck out with might and main for land. 

The prize for which he was now striving was the 
most tempting that could be offered. 

He and his uncle while making their way up the 
coast in the Mary Ann, had discussed an interesting 
fact, to the effect that the distance across the Penin- 
sula of Mexico at this place was not great. 

A journey of a week or two through one of the 
most romantic countries in the world was sufficient 
to take them to the city of Vera Cruz on the other side, 
where Alfiero had his home. 

It was a fascinating idea of Jack that this trip ought 
to be made by him and his uncle and he had proposed 
it rather timidly. 

The reception of the scheme was not very encour- 
aging. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


35 


Now the chance was too good to be lost, and he 
strove with all his strength to win. 

His friends were anxious that he should touch land 
ahead of them, though neither seriously considered 
at that time the consequences of his winning his wager. 

It was the shark which the men feared above every- 
thing else, for, if he should happen to come up under 
the lad, or, for that matter, under either of the others, 
and open and shut those tremendous jaws of his, it 
would be the last of the poor swimmer. 

The water is so clear,” said the captain to his 
brother, “ that we can see him if he comes anywhere 
near us. Look sharp, Frede, for it won^t do to let 
him get the start now.” 

There he is ! ” gasped the man, who with the cap- 
tain had purposely fallen a short distance behind the 
boy, striving v/ith such desperate haste to reach land. 

Captain Winch had caught sight of the horrid fin of 
the shark, as it slowly moved through the water be- 
tween them and the boy. 

The dreadful creature was making ready for his 
attack upon the party, which, it may be said, were at 
his mercy. 

Swim ahead, and make all the plashing you can, 
Frede, so as to keep the devil away from him. I’ll 
stay here to fight him.” 


CHAPTER V 


ON THE COAST 

Alfredo Alfiero acted upon the suggestion of 
Captain Winch without a second’s delay. 

It would have been an easy matter for him to pass 
the boy, but such was not his desire, and he placed 
himself immediately in the rear of the little fellow,' 
where he flung his arms and legs in such a furious 
fashion that he might have been taken for a ferry- 
boat, judging from the noise he made. 

Jack concluded that his uncle was trying some new 
dodge on him, and he strove all the harder to get into 
land ahead of him. 

A few yards behind them both floated Captain 
Winch, knife in hand, on the alert for the shark. 

He had met the treacherous monsters of the deep, 
and he knew all about them. He possessed a certain 
confidence that he was a match for the particular 
specimen, and he was desirous that it should attack 
him, provided it singled out any one of the little com- 
pany. 

The wavering, hesitating manner in which the fin 
moved about on the surface of the water showed that 

36 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS ^7 

the dreaded creature was reconnoitring and making 
sure of the best point of assault. 

The instant he should decide which was the vulner- 
able spot, that instant the fin would vanish. 

The shark must get into deep water and beneath his 
victim before he can attack as he desires. 

For some cause, he seemed to have his fancy fixed 
upon the man and lad ahead of him, and despite the 
gentle noise the captain made to attract his attention 
to himself, the shark hovered close to those ahead. 

It might have been there was something in the 
plump, chubby appearance of the boy, which was more 
attractive than the tougher flesh of the men. 

However, if such was the case, the captain was de- 
termined that the purpose of the ferocious creature 
should be changed. 

With that object in view, he deliberately swam close 
up to it — so close, indeed, that he could have spat upon 
it, and then hovered around as if daring it to make an 
attack. 

Come, you old lubber, are you afraid of me, that 
you keep paddling about there on top of the water, 
instead — 

Just then the keen-eyed old sailor saw the fin as it 
whisked under the water, and he knew that it had 
started for some of them. 

If for either Frede or Jack, he could select whichever 
he chose. 


38 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

If for Captain Winch — well, there was some doubt 
about that. 

All that the old sailor could do was to take it for 
granted that the shark was after him, and govern him- 
self accordingl}^ 

Understanding the nature of the fish as well as he 
did, the old sailor made a dive, intended to carry him 
below the enemy of them all. 

When he had gone the distance he intended, he 
opened his eyes and looked around for his foe. 

The captain had not miscalculated it. 

There, in the clear glistening water, he saw moving 
slowly over his head the long, smooth body of the 
shark, which seemed to be wondering where in all crea- 
tion its intended prey had gone. 

Its wonderment did not last long, for the sailor made 
known where he was in a fashion too emphatic to be 
mistaken. 

Shooting upward, as he often did when going up 
the rigging, he came directly under the belly of his foe, 
which was made aware of the location of his adversary 
by his knife. 

The latter weapon was thrust with such force that 
it entered the body of the creature to the very hilt, and 
when the captain drew it forth there was such a spout 
of blood that he felt it over his arm and hand despite 
the water by which they were both enveloped. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


39 


The old sailor no sooner drew it forth, than he 
drove it in again with the same nervous vigor as before, 
and it did the most effective kind of execution. 

He had about time to do this, when it was necessary 
for him to go to the surface to get a breath of air. 

He was quite confident, however, that he had done 
enough to make the shark haul off for repairs, and so 
give the rest time to get beyond his reach. 

The shark must have become conscious by this time 
that something serious was the matter with his internal 
arrangements, for he made a tremendous thrashing of 
the water for a moment or two, and then vanished like 
a streak of crimson light, and was seen no more. 

The instant the captain came up, he caught his 
breath, and looked about to see whether there was the 
necessity for another dive to escape his enemy. 

But the danger was past, and he swam more leisurely 
to shore, where the two men and his son were awaiting 
him. 

Jack was dancing with delight, not knowing the real 
danger to which his father had been exposed. 

“ Hurrah ! Fve won the bet ! Fve won the bet ! 
he exclaimed. 

“ Of course I expected you to beat me,” replied his 
parent, with an assumption of disappointment which 
he was far from feeling, '' but I don't understand how 
it was you came in ahead of Frede, there.” 


40 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


By swimming faster, that’s how it was.” 

'' Yes,” added the uncle, with the same expression 
of chagrin, Jack just let himself out and he touched 
shore when I was two yards behind him; he beat me 
fairly.” 

If that’s the case, then I’ll have to pay the bet, if 
I’m able ; let me see, what was it ? A new rifle, horse, 
watch, or what? ” 

In the exciting circumstances under which the wager 
was made, the captain had not noticed its conditions, 
and he was really at sea, so far as its precise import was 
concerned. 

But a boy never forgets such things, and the cap- 
tain found, to his dismay, that he was pledged to permit 
his boy to make the journey overland to the gulf coast. 

But the sturdy old salt was not the one to break a 
pledge, no matter how unpleasant the consequences 
might be. 

While he was studying whether there was not some 
way in which his boy could be argued out of it, his 
brother said : 

“ Do you know that it is not very far from here to 
my home in Vera Cruz? ” 

‘‘ You must cross the continent to reach it,” replied 
the captain. 

“ Precisely so,^ but the continent is very narrow at 
this part, and keeps on growing narrower as we go 
toward the isthmus.” 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


^3 


‘‘ How far is it? ” asked Jack, listening to the con- 
versation with deep interest. 

“ As the crow flies it is scarcely four hundred miles.” 

“ Let’s go across the country to Vera Cruz then.” 

There is a great deal of the roughest kind of trav- 
eling between the two coasts. There are mountains, 
rivers, deep streams, and dense forests, through which 
it will be not only difficult but dangerous to make our 
way.” 

This was said with the view of scaring off ” the 
boy, but, unfortunately for the success of the scheme, 
it only made him the more desirous of taking the jour- 
ney. 

‘‘ Won’t that be splendid ? ” he exclaimed with a 
great sigh. Oh, how I wish it could be done ! ” 

It began to strike the uncle that there were many 
attractions in such an excursion, though he concealed 
the fact from the lad for the present, until he could 
find out how the father viewed the scheme. 

I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” said Jack, going up 
to his parent, slipping his hand up in his face, and 
putting on that pleading expression which comes natu- 
ral to a lad when he is anxious to secure some favor, 
''you can wait here till some boat comes along and 
takes you home again, and Uncle Frede and I will go 
across the country to Vera Cruz, and then go on down 
to Aspinwall and across to Panama. You know we 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


have each got a gun with us, and uncle has been here 
before, and there’s no danger of getting lost, and 
there are ever so many towns and cities and villages 
and lovely places on the road, and, oh! it will be so 
splendid I Please, father, let us go.” 

“ You little rascal, you don’t know whether Frede 
wants to make the foolish trip or not. You had better 
wait and see what he thinks.” 

Uncle Frede said nothing, but gave his brother-in- 
law a significant look, and then walked away a few 
paces. The sailor obeyed the signal and followed the 
Mexican far enough to place the two beyond earshot 
of the lad. 

I know what that means,” chuckled Jack. 
“ They’re going to talk the whole thing over between 
them, and they think I’ve no idea what they’re driving 
at. Uncle Frede has made up his mind that the trip 
will be a splendid one, and he is trying to tell father 
that it is best to let me go with him, and he’ll do it too; 
I’ve seen that thing worked before, when mother 
wanted to get him to do something for her. Mother’s 
family must be smart, for she and Uncle Frede can 
always coax father to do anything they want him to — 
there, it’s all fixed; I can tell by the way things look. 
Uncle Frede is trying to be solemn and cross, as though 
he hadn’t got what he wanted, and father looks as if 
he would like to go along with us and have some fun.” 

Little Jack read the signs aright. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


43 


It was agreed that he and his uncle should start on 
foot across the country to Vera Cruz on the Gulf coast, 
taking their time and following their own inclinations 
as to halting, turning aside, or changing the route 
itself.” 

As Alfredo had said, there were extensive and deep 
forests, abounding with venomous reptiles, insects, and 
savage animals, where they were certain to run con- 
siderable danger; but the man was a skillful shot, he 
possessed the wealth to hire servants to accompany 
them, if they should decide they were needed, and as 
they proposed to cut across a portion of civilized Mex- 
ico, it was far different from the enterprise which con- 
templates the passing of some vast waste or desolation. 

If the man and boy should become weary of the un- 
dertaking, they could turn aside, and in a short time 
reach some of the towns or cities which are quite 
numerous in that portion of Mexico. 

And so the whole thing was fixed, and the arrange- 
ments completed before the sun went down in the 
Pacific. 

Alfredo was convinced that he would secure a 
good, faithful attendant at the first opportunity — one 
who understood the country, and whose practical 
knowledge of the forests and solitudes was sufficient to 
take them from the Pacific to the Atlantic. 

When and where such a desirable character was to 
be secured remained to be seen. 


44 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


The start was to be on the morrow, the two heading 
directly into the interior, and pursuing a northeasterly 
course, which if persevered in was sure to bring them 
out in the picturesque town of Vera Cruz, all in due 
time. 

It was no pleasant thing for Captain Winch to part 
with his only child in this fashion ; but he saw that his 
heart was set upon going, and it was useless to at- 
tempt to argue him out of it, after his uncle had become 
his ally. 

Such being the case, young Jack had nothing to do, 
but to fall back on his rights. 

There could be no denying that he had won the 
wager, and when he insisted upon its payment the cap- 
tain could only come down. 

The afternoon was well advanced when they effected 
their landing on the Pacific coast, after their escape 
from the whale and shark, and it looked as if the whole 
party would have to stay where they were until morn- 
ing. 

There was nothing unpleasant in this prospect as 
the weather was so warm and there was such a fine 
breeze coming in from the sea, that their clothing 
speedily dried upon them, and there was no need of any 
sort of shelter for the night. 

The country in which they found themselves was 
civilized enough to remove all fear of being disturbed 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


45 

from any evil men, and as for wild animals, there was 
scarcely a thought of them. 

The rifle of Jack and the one brought ashore by the 
sailor were found to be in perfect condition and An- 
tonio was also thoughtful enough to secure some am- 
munition, so that the company were much better sit- 
uated in this respect than they supposed themselves to 
be. 

True, they had nothing to eat, but that was no very 
severe privation, as they had partaken of their usual 
dinner on board, and they could afford to go without 
their supper without complaining. 

And so take it all in all, in view of the sad calamity 
that had overtaken their companions, they saw nothing 
in their situation excepting what called for the pro- 
foundest gratitude to God. 


CHAPTER VI 


A SHADOWY DANGER 

From the time Captain Winch and his friends ef- 
fected their landing on the coast, there was some kind 
of a sail in sight. 

Far in the distance was seen the black line made by 
the smoke of a steamer against the sky, and, at varying 
distances, the cloud-like sails of ships were observed, 
as they sped on their way toward different points on 
the globe. 

All appeared too far off, however, for the men to 
hope to attract their attention, though the captain was 
anxious to leave the place, if possible, that night. 

The spot where the landing was made, we have said, 
was sandy, and contained nothing particularly at- 
tractive but a short distance inland was stunted under- 
growth, where it seemed likely the captain could ob- 
tain that which he wanted. 

Shortly after the landing, he accordingly dispatched 
the sailor to hunt for something in the nature of a 
pole. 

Antonio was gone but a short time, when he re- 
turned with a long stick, which ansv\^ered very well for 
what was needed. 


46 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


47 


The jacket of the captain was made fast to the top 
of this, and then a hole was scooped out in the sand, 
in which the base was placed and the dirt stamped 
down about it. 

This done, the little company found they were pro- 
vided with quite a respectable flag of distress. 

While the relatives of Jack were arranging the all- 
important expedition in which he was to take part, 
Antonio, the sailor, was maintaining a sharp lookout 

for some friendly sail that would come to their re- 
lief. 

He had gazed but a short time when his heart was 
thrilled with hope by the sight of a vessel which, pro- 
ceeding southward as she was, veered about in her 
course and stood straight in toward land. 

Now we shall be taken off this barbarous coast,” 
thought the delighted sailor, “ and will soon be back in 
Panama.” 

But when his expectations were the highest, the ship 
fell off again and resumed her voyage toward the 
northwest, keeping it up until there was not the slight- 
est possibitity of her coming to the assistance of the 
shipwrecked party. 

Still the seaman, although greatly disappointed, did 
not give up the effort to attract the notice of some of 
the passing vessels. 

While the men remained occupied in discussing their 


48 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

important schemes he was engaged in running up and 
down the beach, and indulging in all sorts of antics to 
draw attention to him. 

His persistency met its reward at last. 

A small schooner not unlike the Mary ^Ann in build 
and appearance, and bound on her way toward Panama, 
was discovered standing in close to shore. 

When nearly abreast of the sailor, she hove to and 
sent a small boat to land. 

This settled the business, and the captain and his 
man immediately prepared to leave. 

The schooner proved to be the Dolphin, on her way 
from San Francisco to Panama, so that nothing better 
could have been asked. 

More than that, the commander. Captain Fairbanks, 
was an old friend of the captain of the lost Mary Ann, 
and he was sure to do all he could to welcome his un- 
fortunate, or, rather, fortunate brother to his craft. 

Captain Winch’s heart almost deserted him when 
he came to bid good-by to his boy, and, but for his 
promise, he would have insisted that he should have ac- 
companied him back to his home. 

But Alfredo, who was a traveler of experience, con- 
vinced the parent that no serious danger threatened, 
and he would not be gone a long while. 

Besides that, the lad had so set his heart upon it, 
that it seemed cruel to deprive him of the happiness 
which he believed awaited him 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


49 


So the bronzed old sea captain kissed the little fel- 
low several times, shook hands over and over again 
with him, and was scarcely less demonstrative with his 
brother, and then he stepped in the little boat awaiting 
him, waved another good-by from the back of the Dol- 
phin, and soon after vanished from sight. 

Alfredo was thoughtful enough to procure some pro- 
visions from the schooner so that they were furnished 
with all they needed for supper and breakfast by which 
time they calculated they would be able to look out for 
themselves. 

They were the more confident of this in view of the 
fact that they had seized the same opportunity to re- 
plenish their supply of ammunition. 

Take it all in all, they considered themselves in the 
best condition to stand a lively campaign. 

The Dolphin had not yet faded out of sight, when 
the sun dropped down in the calm waters of the Pacific, 
and the two, man and child, realized that at last they 
were left alone. 

What do you say, my boy? ” asked Alfredo, who 
was as full of delight as the lad at the prospect of the 
adventurous excursion before them. “ Shall we have a 
fire to-night or not? 

“ Is there to be a moon? ” 

‘‘No moon, never a one.” 

“ I don’t see any wood about here ; where shall we 
get it ? ” 


50 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


“ Over there,” replied the uncle, pointing in the di- 
rection of the stunted undergrowth where Antonio had 
secured the staff for the flag of distress. 

“ Are there any wild animals there to gobble us up, 
if we go after wood? ” asked Jack, gazing toward the 
dark line stretching away until walled in by the black- 
ness of the mountains and night beyond. 

Haven't we each a gun and are you going to be- 
come so easily scared at the beginning ? ” 

“ Who said I was scared ? ” demanded the boy, 
springing to his feet and starting off in the direction of 
the wood. 

His uncle followed after, laughing to himself, for he 
was quite sure that his assumption of courage was not 
genuine. 

However, as there was no real peril, it answered as 
well as if it was the real stuff. 

The walk through the sand was quite laborious, par- 
ticularly when they came back loaded down with wood, 
like a couple of tramps pilfering from a hedge. 

There was no necessity for the fire, as we have al- 
ready remarked, but it was more pleasant to have it, 
when the darkness should settle upon the sea and land, 
and their faces should fade out from each other's 
sight. 

There were no rocks against which they could place 
the sticks, and it was not necessary to have them. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 51 

At sunset the air was calm, the temperature of the 
sea and land being then in equipoise. 

During the day, the water is the cooler and the breeze 
sets in toward shore to fill the vacuum caused by the 
ascending currents of heated atmosphere. 

As the night advances the earth becomes cooler than 
the ocean, and a gentle, soothing wind blows from the 
land out to sea. 

This breeze is always pleasant, and one of the great- 
est boons of a sojourn at the seaside during the heated 
term. 

Consequently, as the man and boy were situated, a 
rock would have helped to rob them of this pleasure. 

So they scooped out a place in the sand, large 
enough to contain both comfortably, the displaced 
grains being thrown up in a ridge on the outside, so as 
to form a kind of embankment. 

In the opposite end of this place, another spot was 
hollowed out, in which they made their fire. 

This done, they voted that they were as finely sit- 
uated as if under their own vine and fig tree at home. 

After supper the two remained talking awhile, until 
the boy became sleepy and his head drooped forward. 

Then his uncle ceased and allowed him to sink into 
that sweet, dreamless slumber which belongs more to 
childhood than to any other period of life. 

Alfredo waited until he was sure he was uncon- 


52 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


scious when he made his position as comfortable as he 
could, and then the man, rifle in hand, stepped over 
the shallow embankment and walked off in the direc- 
tion of the beach. 

He was smoking a cigarette, obtained from the Dol- 
phin, and he was desirous of taking a look around be- 
fore stretching out for the night — not that he had the 
least thought of danger, but because he was not dis- 
posed to slumber just yet. 

Looking off to sea, he could see nothing in the dark- 
ness that could cause any alarm, though there was a 
feeling strong upon him to-night which caused him 
some uneasiness, and for which he could not account. 
He recalled that he and his young companion had been 
v/onderfully favored and protected by Providence, 
when placed in the gravest sort of peril, and it seemed 
wrong and ungrateful for him to give away to any- 
thing like doubt at this time, when there was no tangi- 
ble evidence of any danger impending. 

So it is always,” he murmured, as he paused and 
puffed the fragrant tobacco, we are always fancying 
some trouble is close at hand, instead of contenting 
ourselves with the safety of the present. I ought to be 
ashamed of myself.” 

All that might be so, and yet it did not remove the 
fact that he was in an uncomfortable frame of mind, 
which was steadily increasing instead of diminishing. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 53 

What made it worse was the recollection that in more 
than one instance of his extensive travels he had been 
disturbed in the same way, and he could recall none in 
which subsequent events did not prove that his fears 
were more than justified. 

“ I hope nothing will happen to him/' he added, gaz- 
ing in the direction of the camp, where the remains of 
the camp-fire feebly glowed through the darkness. 

“ It was I who convinced the captain that he would 
do wise to allow Jack to accompany me on this ex- 
cursion into the interior, and if ill should befall him, I 
would be the one, to hold responsible.'’ 

Here and there, far out on the Pacific, could be de- 
tected small twinkling points of light, moving slowly 
along the surface, appearing in the distance like stars 
of the night. 

But he knew they were the lights upon the decks or 
at the masts of some vessels on their way to their desti- 
nations in different parts of the globe. 

Thus he stood for half an hour, until he had smoked 
several of the twists of havana when he turned about 
and started to return to camp. There was still no 
moon, and he could distinguish nothing at any distance 
off. 

But for the dull glow from the sand behind him, he 
would have had some trouble to find the camp where 
the lad was sleeping so sweetly, with no thought of pos- 
sible danger threatening him. 


54 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Alfredo had retraced something like half his steps, 
when his listening ears were arrested by the sound of 
something sounding like the dip of an oar in the water. 

If such was the fact it was at no great distance and 
he paused and looked off in the gloom toward the point 
whence seemed to come the noise. 

The darkness prevented him seeing anything and he 
heard no more. 

I could not have been mistaken,” he said to himself, . 

for I was not expecting anything, and the sound was 
so distinct that it could have been nothing else.” 

After waiting where he was for a few minutes 
longer, he concluded to walk down the beach in the di- 
rection whence came the noise which had caused, or 
rather increased, his uneasiness. 

He walked quietly and smoothly over the shingle 
until he found himself close to the beach where the 
swells came up at intervals and rolled over upon the 
sand with that peculiar heavy booming sound which be- 
longs to the ocean. Still he heard nothing more, nor 
could he detect anything that explained what it was 
that had disturbed him. At last he gave it up and 
started once more on his return. 

“ It must have been some piece of wood thrown up 
by the waves which made the peculiar sound,” he con- 
cluded, after stopping several times on the way to 
listen. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


55 


Little Jack was sleeping as soundly as when he left 
him, and after waiting awhile longer, his uncle lay 
down and joined the lad in the land of dreams. 

Well would it have been had he remained awake a 
short time longer. 


CHAPTER VII 


THIEVES OF THE NIGHT 

When Alfredo lay down on the sand to sleep, he 
was quite weary from the fatigue of swimming so long 
and hard in the sea and his slumber, as a consequence, 
became very profound. 

Although his suspicions had been excited by that 
strange feeling which came over him as he walked upon 
the beach, deepened, too, by the single sound of an oar 
that reached him through the night, yet with the clos- 
ing of his eyes all fancies of danger went from his 
brain, and he slept as sweetly as when he swung in his 
hammock on board the Mary Ann. 

The noise which he heard, and which he supposed 
was that of an oar, was that, and nothing else. 

When making his search along the beach he would 
have discovered the cause, had he advanced a short 
distance further. 

With the darkness there came creeping downward 
from the north a small boat, containing two men, and 
carrying a single sail. 

They kept some distance off shore, and were pro- 
pelled by the breeze, which had begun to go out gently 
to the sea. 


56 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


57 


They would have attracted no special attention when 
viewed from land, as such craft are met with in every 
part of the world. 

But when the night was fairly descended they came 
still closer to shore, and finally turning square to the 
left, ran the prow of their boat as high up the beach as 
the momentum was sufficient to impel it. 

This done, one of them partly pried the craft into a 
slightly different position making the noise which 
alarmed Alfredo while thus engaged. 

The occupants of this strange craft were Mexicans, 
who, viewed under the light of the sun, were as vil- 
lainous a couple as could well be met with in a day’s 
journey. 

Of shabby appearance, with long, black, heavy 
beards, straggling about their swarthy faces, broad 
shoulders, with keen, black, piercing eyes, there was 
that in their looks and make-up which would have 
caused mistrust wherever encountered. 

However, the night was so dark that there was no 
likelihood of their being subjected to any such scrutiny, 
and they acted as if they already felt they were masters 
of the situation. 

To avoid all mystery, we may say that their errand 
on the coast, at this particular time, was to rob the man 
and boy asleep on the beach. 

They had kept so far north and off shore during the 


58 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

afternoon, that they were not noticed by any of those 
who effected the landing from the Mary Ann, but, car- 
rying a heavy glass themselves, they maintained mi- 
croscopic watch of the movements of the others. 

They saw that there were but the single man and boy 
left, and they concluded that the chance was a good one 
for plunder. 

Fully armed as were these two thieves, they might be 
able to hold their own in case of resistance, while if 
their victims should number any more, the danger of 
attack would be too great. 

The robbers, like most of their class, were arrant 
cowards, and they had no disposition to molest unless 
the chances were all in their favor. 

And so it was that, instead of coming out boldly and 
making for the man and boy, who could not be said 
to equal them in strength, they preferred to wait until 
they were asleep. 

The scamps were accustomed to this sort of business, 
and they rightly concluded that their intended victims 
would not remain awake a long time after the descent 
of the sun. 

They had made up their minds to commit this out- 
rage, and in case the sleepers should arouse and at- 
tempt to defend themselves, they were ready on the in- 
stant to cut their throats, as they had undoubtedly done 
under similar circumstances before to-night. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


59 


The first thing necessary was to ascertain whether 
the man was unconscious, for the boy need not enter 
into their consideration ; and with this purpose in view, 
one of the villains leaped lightly down from the gun- 
wale of his boat, and began making his way to where 
the dull glow showed the camp-fire was smouldering. 

He moved with the silence and stealth of a shadow, 
showing that he w^as accustomed to that sort of busi- 
ness. 

When he drew near enough to catch the faintest pos- 
sible glimpse through the darkness he paused a tull 
minute, looking toward the light and listening. 

Nothing rewarding this close attention, he sank 
down on his hands and knees and began creeping to- 
ward the spot like a Comanche warrior stealing into 
the camp of his enemy. 

The wretch was fully armed and prepared for any 
sort of reverse; but when he reached the edge of the 
small embankment and peered over, he became con- 
vinced that the man was never in a sounder sleep in all 
his life. 

Thereupon the villain beg*an a cautious withdrawal, 
until he was a rod or two distant, when he turned his 
head and made a cautious whistle, so low indeed that 
no ear, unless it was listening, would have noticed it. 

But the villain for whom it was intended was listen- 
ing, a short distance off, and he immediately started 


6o THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

from the side of his craft toward the point whence 
came the signal. Then, when the confederates in crime 
came together, they sat for a time on the sand, engaged 
in a sort of consultation. 

They spoke in a broken Spanish jargon, and in 
voices so low that they would not have been heard a 
dozen rods away. 

There was no difficulty in arranging their scheme, as 
it was so simple in outline and detail. 

As soon as the time should arrive, they proposed to 
creep up to the camp, and to ''go through ” the man 
and boy. 

If either or both should awake during this interest- 
ing process so much the worse for them ! 

Such desperadoes always went prepared for such 
emergencies. 

Such scamps, too, are provided with a certain 
amount of stoical patience which enables them to wait 
until the right moment, without the chafing and dis- 
comfort shown by more impetuous spirits. 

There was scarcely a moment from the time the men 
seated themselves on the sand close to the beach when 
it would not have been safe for them to go forward and 
carry out their iniquitous designs. 

But in accordance with a certain system which seems 
to govern such outlaws, they never stirred from where 
they were sitting until a full hour had passed. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 6i 

They spoke very rarely, and then in the same 
cautious, guarded tones. 

Finally the hour came for them to move. 

By a common impulse, they turned about and began 
creeping toward the camp where lay the unsuspecting 
sleepers. 

When they were within a few feet, there came an- 
other waiting and listening and looking. 

All seemed satisfactory, and then they separated, 
one of the Mexicans moving around to the right, and 
the other to the left. 

They so timed their movements that they came to 
the embankments at the same moment. 

There was just enough light from the few smoulder- 
ing embers to show the precise posture of their victims, 
and the moment after, both of the robbers were at 
work. 

They were evidently professionals, and they did what 
they undertook with amazing thoroughness. 

While one '' went through the man, the other took 
the boy in hand. 

Both Jack and his uncle carried a handsome gold 
watch and chain. 

These were the first plunder that went into the pos- 
session of the robbers. 

Then Alfredo, as was his custom, carried a wallet 
containing a large sum of money, which reposed within 
an inner pocket of his coat, over his breast. 


62 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

To reach this it was necessary to unbutton his coat, 
and then to go through a very delicate operation of 
thrusting the hand underneath, where it required but a 
slight disturbance to awake the sleeper. 

If anyone was equal to the emergency, the man who 
was trying it was, but he was not. 

His friend, before this point was reached, had com- 
pleted his work, so far as the boy was concerned. 

There was no difficulty in taking anything they chose 
from Jack Winch, who would not have opened his eyes 
had they proceeded to rob him of all his garments. 

In the present instance, the outlaw took the watch 
only from his person, that being about all there was, or 
at least, all that he cared to carry off as a memento. 

But when the thief had stowed this valuable relic 
in one of his capacious pockets, and was in the act of 
withdrawing to place himself closer to his confederate, 
so as to render him assistance if necessary, his hand 
came in contact with the small rifle of Jack. 

This weapon was a handsome one, ornamented with 
silver, and of a size and weight to accommodate the 
years of the boy, and of course, under the present cir- 
cumstances, it was well-nigh indispensable to him. 

At any rate, the instant the hand of the robber 
touched it, he felt that it would not do to permit such 
a prize to escape him. 

So he drew it from the place where it was nestling 
beside the owner. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


63 


Having deposited it behind him on the sand where 
he could lay his hand on it any instant, he moved 
stealthily over to where his comrade was at work to 
see whether he was needed to assist in the robbery of 
the more dangerous victim. 

The second villain was at that moment, insinuating 
his raven-like fingers into the inner breast-pocket of 
Alfredo. 

He had already explored several others, and this be- 
ing about the last, he was confident of finding that 
which he wanted. 

He had shoved the long fingers but a short way when 
they touched something that he knew to be the wallet 
with its gold. 

At this instant his companion appeared at his side. 

It was a most critical juncture and the robber was 
fearful that his pal would interfere. 

So, instead of speaking, the robber turned his head 
and shook it. 

Dark as it was, they were that close that they could 
see each other, and the signal was observed and under- 
stood. 

The new-comer shrank back so as to leave the other 
free to complete his villainous work. 

Softly, slowly and evenly as the hand steals over the 
face of the clock did the fingers of the thief creep along 
the plump wallet reposing in the pocket of the sleeping 
Alfredo. 


64 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Only an atom at a time did it move, while the heart 
of the scamp must have throbbed with expectation as 
he noted the unusually large dimensions and corpulent 
condition of the depository of the wealth of his vic- 
tim. 

He knew there must be a large sum of money there — 
larger than he had ever made during any of the similar 
expeditions upon which he and his pal had been en- 
gaged for years past. 

An inch further his fingers crept, and when he was 
expecting them to meet around the opposite end of the 
wallet they still made their way along the sides of the 
same. 

All this was conclusive as to the wealth of the owner 
of the pocket, but it indicated, too, the difficulty the 
robber was sure to encounter in attempting to with- 
draw it. 

The removal of such a large object from where it 
was resting on the breast of a sleeping man is always 
pretty sure to awake him, unless he is a sound sleeper. 

No one could understand the matter better than the 
Mexican engaged in robbing Alfredo. 

The only way by which he hoped to escape alarming 
him was by drawing the wallet so very slowly and 
evenly, that if the man awoke, the robber would only 
have to cease for the time for him to drop to sleep 
again. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 65 

Why not draw it forth with a single quick move- 
ment? 

Such would be the question that would have pre- 
sented itself to a spectator could there have been one. 

But these professionals have a way of doing such 
things which is often a puzzle to outsiders. 

The plan mentioned could have been carried out 
without the least difficulty promising two clear avenues 
out of the difficulty. 

If the scamps were afraid, they could easily spring 
up and make off with their booty in the darkness. 

If they chose more violent means, it was at their 
command at the very instant the victim should give the 
first intimation of waking. 

For that matter, there was no need of waiting for 
that, even. 

A single blow on the head of the slumbering Alfredo 
Alfiero would place him out of the way forever, with- 
out any punishment therefor from human hands. 


CHAPTER VIII 


A STARTLING ROBBERY 

The robber who was engaged in taking the wallet of 
Alfredo from his pocket, we say, was not equal to the 
task of doing so without awaking him. 

The thief was almost at the point of closing his hand 
in such a way that the prize would be his beyond per- 
adventure, when the sleeping man stirred, and the rob- 
ber paused and held himself ready to strike. 

The movement amounted to nothing, however, and 
the sleeper quickly settled into quiescence again. 

The next minute the thief felt his fingers meeting 
around the further end of the wallet, when his victim 
awoke ! 

“Hello! whafs the matter here?” he exclaimed, 
raising his head, and clutching at the hand in his 
pocket. 

Had the man been given the least chance he would 
have made things hot for the robbers, but he was 
caught at the worst disadvantage imaginable. 

“ Thieves, eh? That is the way ” 

He was in the act of springing to his feet when he 
was struck a violent blow upon the head with the butt 
of a pistol, the shock causing him to drop backward. 

66 


THROUGH JUNGLE ’AND WILDERNESS 67 

Still he would have rallied had he possessed a minute 
in which to do so, but his enemies were too wise to al- 
low anything of the kind. 

Another cracking blow on his head, and he dropped 
back again, this time with his senses clean gone. 

I guess he’s done for,” said the man who had 
struck the two blows, as he leaned over him. 

Better give him another, so as to make sure,” added 
his companion, groping about in the darkness for the 
rifle that he had laid aside ; if you don’t there’s no 
telling where he’ll turn up again.” 

The scamp was on the point of doing so, but did 
not, restraining himself through no sentiment of mercy. 

He judged that the gentleman was dead, and if he 
was not, it was a small matter, for he did not feel that 
anything was to be apprehended from the utmost he 
could do. 

There were no human witnesses to the tragedy, and 
in such a broken, poorly-governed country as Mexico, 
the criminals might well repose in peace, so far as any 
fear from the arm of the authorities was concerned. 

So the blow was not repeated. 

The robbers had secured the two gold watches, the 
small rifle of the boy, and the well-filled wallet of the 
man. 

The raid had been of the most successful character, 
and they ought to have gone away fully satisfied. 


68 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

Alfredo fell back like a dead man, and lay thus when 
his foes took their departure. 

But he was far from dead, and in the course of an 
hour his senses began to come back to him. 

The first intimation of what had taken place was the 
sensation of pain in the head, a sharp, stinging twinge, 
which so often follows a violent blow upon the skull. 

When he rose to the sitting position, the suffering 
was so great that he was compelled to lie down again 
until he could gain more strength. 

** I’d like to know what the matter is with me” he 
said, pressing his hand to his forehead. “ It can’t be 
that it was I that the whale ran into instead of the Mary 
Ann, though I feel about as that schooner must have 
felt, had it been gifted with sensation. Whew ! but I 
wonder if my skull is cracked ! Queer, I can’t remem- 
ber anything about it; let me see — I was asleep — had 
lain down with Jack when I woke up with some one 
fooling about my breast-pocket ” 

With this recollection, he suddenly clapped his hand 
to where his money ought to have been. 

“ It’s gone!” he gasped — “ I have been robbed.” 

As is generally the case he searched every pocket 
again and again, and groped around in the darkness, 
thinking, possibly, that it had worked out of his pos- 
session during some involuntary movement of sleep. 

But, of course he found it not. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 69 

The robbery was established by indubitable proof. 

By the time this point was reached, Alfredo was able 
to recall that scene where he was awakened by feeling 
some one searching his pocket, followed by the two 
blows which stretched him senseless on the earth, where 
he must have been left when the robbers went away. 

I don’t understand why they did not finish me 
while they were about it,” he muttered, as he sat down 
to recall the circumstance. “ That is the style in which 
they generally do such things. I wonder whether Jack 
was awakened during the tumult ? Of course not,” he 
instantly added, answering his own question. 

There were a few embers of the camp-fire, but he 
was afraid to disturb them, lest his enemies should be 
watching somewhere in the immediate neighborhood. 

I think ril take a look around,” he said to himself, 
reaching out and picking up his rifle, which he made 
sure was loaded. 

The sound of the surf, booming at intervals, was his 
compass, as he stepped softly from within the embank- 
ment, and recalling the point whence came the sound 
that had deepened his suspicions earlier in the evening, 
he turned his steps in that direction. 

“ It’s strange how Providence warns us of danger,” 
he reflected, while walking along in his cautious man- 
ner. “ I have had a number of experiences like this last 
night, and they have never yet failed to mean some- 


70 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


thing. The mistake I made was in permitting myself 
to go to sleep as I did. I ought to have mounted guard, 
and I would have been sure of defeating their designs.” 

He was now close to the spot where he stood earlier 
in the night, when the sound of the oar reached his ear. 
^ “ It must have been right here — strange! ” 

Strange indeed it was, for while the thought was 
passing through his mind he heard again precisely the 
same noise. 

He determined to know what it meant ; and hurried 
off toward the point whence it came, without pausing 
to hush the noise of his feet on the sand. 

A dizziness flashed upon him now and then, causing 
him to stagger, but he kept along with a pretty regular 
gait until he was close to the water’s edge again. 

He was just in time to catch a glimpse of the boat 
of which we have made mention, as it put out to sea. 

Its shabby sail was up, and as there was a cool, 
steady breeze setting out to sea, the two Mexicans 
seemed to have no trouble in launching it into the 
ocean, and in directing it after it was started. 

“ There go the thieves,” said Alfredo to himself, 
peering after the boat as it rapidly faded from view in 
the gloom. “ I only wish I could catch sight of the vil- 
lain who gave me that blow. It should be the last of 
that business for him.” 

Such a wish was honorable, and natural, perhaps, but 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


71 


it could amount to nothing, and while it was in the 
mouth of the speaker, the boat and its occupants disap- 
peared from view. 

The watcher waited where he was awhile, during 
which he bathed his aching head, and recovered in a 
great degree from the shock of the blow that had rob- 
bed him of his senses, and nearly of his life. 

At last, when the night was pretty well gone, he 
started back to camp again, hoping that he would be 
all right in the morning. 

They have my watch and wallet,'’ he said to him- 
self, which don’t leave me in the best condition in the 
world, though it might have been worse. If they had 
taken my gun I would have had no choice but to seek 
passage back to Panama, and Jack would have seen the 
end of his expedition before it began. Poor fellow! 
he is sleeping like a top.” 

He listened, and was a little surprised that in the 
deep silence, broken only by the long boom of the 
ocean, he could hear nothing of the boy’s breathing. 

This might be the case and all be right, but he had 
slept alongside' his young friend so often that he knew 
his peculiarities, one of which was that his regular 
breathing always betrayed itself to any one as close as 
he was at that moment. 

An awful fear came over Alfredo. 

Can it be that he is dead ? ” he gasped. Are there 


72 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

two fiends who would slay an innocent boy like him 
for nothing at all ? 

For a moment or two he was paralyzed at the 
thought, not daring to make sure of the truth. 

Finally he roused himself and crept over to the other 
side of the embankment, where he moved his hands 
around in quest of his young friend. 

Here, there, everywhere they passed, but they en- 
countered nothing in the shape of a sleeping boy ! 

“ As sure as heaven he is gone ! ” exclaimed the 
uncle, in terror, when he had made the search so 
thorough that there could be no possibility of mis- 
take. 

He was not within the embankment, that was certain, 
nor was he in the immediate neighborhood. 

Thinking it barely possible that he was walking in 
his sleep, he listened for the sound of his footsteps, but 
there were none. 

Then he made a more extended search, which was 
as fruitless of results. Then he called to him again and 
again, until his voice must have penetrated a long dis- 
tance on the still Summer night. 

All these resources having failed to bring any intelli- 
gence of the boy, Alfredo resorted to the only thing he 
could do. 

That Was to continue groping around in the gloom, 
calling his name, and waiting for the light of morning 
to tell where he was. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


73 

He would not allow himself to believe that the vil- 
lains had taken Jack away, though that was the first 
conclusion on making the discovery that he was ab- 
sent. 

He was in the midst of his hunt, when the light in the 
east told him that the night was at an end, and he 
would soon have the sunlight to assist him in the 
search. 

Perching himself on the highest bank of sand within 
reach, he watched the growing light with an intensity 
of interest hard to imagine. 

As the sun mounted higher and higher in the 
heavens, his eyes roamed up and down the beach in 
quest of some sign of the boy, or of something which 
would tell what had become of him. 

His heart stood still for an instant, as a small dark 
object was discerned on the beach, which he was sure 
was the lad stretched out on his face. 

He could even see his arm gathered under his head, 
as was a favorite practice with Jack. 

They have carried him off and after drowning him, 
he has been washed up on the beach,” said Alfredo, as 
he sprang to his feet and started on a run toward the 
point. 

He had not a particle of doubt on this point, as he 
hastened thither, and yet, on reaching the spot, he 
found that, instead of being Jack Winch, it was noth- 
ing but a piece of drift-wood. 


74 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


The relief was so great that Alfredo laughed out- 
right, and looking down at the object, wondered how 
it was that he could have made such a ridiculous blun- 
der. 

However, that being clearly established, the quevStion 
came back as to where Jack was. 

But one conclusion could be reached, and that was 
that he had been carried away by the robbers, who had 
gone off with the wallet and watch of Alfredo. 

This point was quite clearly established by the shape 
which the investigation took. 

Examining the ground close to the encampment, the 
man had no difficulty in distinguishing the footprints 
of the two villains who had visited it during the dark- 
ness a few hours before. 

He saw where one had stooped over and robbed Jack 
as well as himself and then by the use of a little judg- 
ment, Alfredo established the fact that the boy had been 
carried away. 

In the first place though a number of footprints were 
visible, there were none of the boy leading away from 
where he had lain down. 

Following the trail of the two men toward the beach, 
the spot was reached where their boat had been drawn 
up on the sand, and here was the evidence that they had 
lain the little fellow down for a moment while making 
ready to shove off into the sea. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


75 


The signs were so plain that there could be no mis- 
take, and lAlfredo gazed off to sea, in vain quest of the 
craft that had stolen his companion from him. 

What should he do ? 

Alas ! he did not see that he could do anything. 


CHAPTER IX 


IN THE lion's den 

Well now, that’s mighty queer,” said Jack Winch, 
when he opened his eyes and looked about him. “ I’m 
sure I went to sleep on the sand with Uncle Frede sit- 
ting just opposite, and how did I come to be here? ” 

The sun was shining, and the day was well ad- 
vanced as the boy knew from the light which filled the 
small apartment in which he found himself. 

Everything conspired to mystify the boy. 

He was well satisfied that he “ retired ” in the place 
and with the surroundings already explained and after 
sinking into unconsciousness he awoke in a spot as dif- 
ferent as could be. 

He was in a small room which was plainly the cabin 
of a small boat, the roof of which was so close that he 
could touch it with his hand as he lay upon his back. 

Turning his head, so as to gain a view of his sur- 
roundings, Jack Winch observed that he was stretched 
upon a hammock, which was the most untidy he had 
ever seen in all his life. 

The room, as we have said, was small, containing 
little besides the two hammocks slung opposite each 
76 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


77 


other, while some ragged clothing was hung upon pegs 
over the head, the distance being so short that the 
larger portion of the suspended clothing rested upon the 
beds. 

An old sea-chest lay lengthwise between the ham- 
mocks, so that to enter one of them a person could use 
the trunk as a stepping-stone. 

There was nothing like a window to this prison-like 
cell, but the door communicating with the deck was 
partly open, admitting enough sunlight to illuminate 
the interior. 

As Jack collected his senses and studied the situation, 
he became convinced that he was not only in a small 
boat but that it was not upon the ocean. 

He judged the latter to be the fact from the perfect 
calmness of the craft. 

There was no sound of waves, nor was there that 
long heaving swell which is a peculiarity of the Pacific 
Ocean at all times. 

The conclusion therefore, was that the vessel was 
lying up some small bay or inlet of the sea, where it 
was insensible to the never-ceasing pulse ’’ of the 
deep. 

In these surmises the boy was undoubtedly right, and 
it was his training under his father that enabled him 
to form conclusions which might have escaped older 
heads. 


78 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

This much understood, the racking mystery re- 
mained : 

How did I come here? ” 

It would be hardly worth our while to give the 
theories which ran through the brain of Jack as he tried 
to answer the question. 

He thought he had been carried off by kidnappers, 
or that he had wandered away in his sleep and had 
been picked up by friends or enemies as tlie case might 
be. 

He settled down finally to the belief that he had been 
placed there either by his father or uncle. 

He remembered the hesitation and unwillingness 
with which the captain consented to allow him to go 
on the expedition and it struck him as likely that his 
parent had repented and come back after him while he 
slept 

But there was an improbability after all, about such 
a proceeding which prevented his accepting it as the 
most likely one. 

It seemed more reasonable that his uncle had played 
a little joke on him, as he was fond of doing. 

It might be that he had arranged for this exploring 
tour before they left Panama, with his guide engaged. 

I don’t s’pose he had the whale fixed too,’’ said 
Jack to himself, pursuing his train of thought, “but 
that might have been an accident just the same. And 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


79 


then while I was asleep, they have picked me up and 
carried me aboard. Hello, there’s my gun ! ” he added, 
as he espied the weapon leaning against the foot of the 
hammock. 

It was quite an ingenious theory which the boy 
formed, and did not do him discredit. 

And yet, in spite of all these surmises, there re- 
mained just enough doubt and mistrust to make him 
uneasy, and to cause him to long for a solution of the 
perplexing problem. 

He lay still, listening for footsteps or voices. 

The tomb could not have been more oppressively 
quiet than was everything around him. 

All that he heard was the faint, soft wash of the 
tiny ripples against the side of the boat. 

There was nothing else to give him the least clue 
as to his whereabouts or his surroundings. 

The temptation was great for him to rise from the 
hammock and go on deck, but he was afraid of ofYend- 
ing somebody. 

Jack concluded that the forenoon was about half 
gone, though it was entirely guess-work on his part. 

The most that he dare do was to turn on his side 
and look around the cabin, but he had already seen all 
there was of interest, and what he wanted to gaze upon 
now was that which was over his head on the deck. 

As the minutes passed away without bringing sight 


8o THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

or sound of anything strange, his courage gradually 
increased until he ventured to rise and sit on the edge 
of the bed. 

This caused no noise, and he was sure that if he 
heard any one coming he could flop back again into 
the hammock before being discovered. 

This proceeding was quite an advance, but after all 
it did not extend his knowledge in the desired direc- 
tion. 

He knew no more than in the first place. 

If he meant to enlighten himself, he must do more 
than this. 

That was what Jack was after, and it was not long 
before he rose timidly to his feet and started toward 
the door. 

No sooner had he taken the first step than he darted 
back again. 

He hadn’t heard anything, but it suddenly occurred 
to him that he was making a fatal mistake. 

But a few minutes’ rest, caused him to change his 
mind again, and he made a second venture. 

It was only a few steps to the door, and the shortest 
ascent was all he needed to carry him to the deck above. 

The heart of the lad throbbed painfully when he 
reached the stair, where he paused for several minutes 
before he could summon courage enough to attempt 
the ascent, 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS St 

But the prolonged and profound silence proved that 
there was no one on deck, or else those who were there 
were asleep. 

In either case the boy had not attempted a very per- 
ilous feat. 

But a lad placed in his position fancies all sorts of 
things, and he believed at times that the men were 
waiting with guns to blow his head off the moment he 
showed it above deck. 

Finally, after many and long pauses, he pushed his 
eyes so far upward that he could use them to some pur- 
pose. 

He saw that the boat was lying against the bank of 
a small bayou or inlet, where there were plenty of trees 
which overhung the craft. 

The stream, or whatever it should be termed, was 
no more than a hundred yards wide, both sides being 
equally wooded. 

It appeared to be composed of deep water, which, 
as we have said, was so calm that it felt not the least 
throb from the ocean. 

Besides this, the craft was moored at a winding 
portion of the stream, so that the boy could not see 
very far up or down — certainly not far enough to learn 
anything more than has already been told. 

There was the wooded shore on one side, and the 
wooded shore on the other, with the water vanishing 


THROUGH JUNGLE 'AND WILDERNESS 

from sight both above and below, by reason of its 
winding course. 

Listening with all his senses on the alert, he was 
sensible of the dull boom and roar of the ocean. 

It seemed to be to the left, but it must be quite a 
ways off, judging from the faintness of the noise which 
reached him. 

Jack dared not as yet venture to place his feet on 
deck, contenting himself with standing on tip-toe on 
the steps and peering over the low gunwale. 

Very likely in a few minutes more he would have 
ventured above, had he not been frightened almost out 
of his shoes by hearing the dip of paddles and the sound 
of human voices. 

He did not take time to look to see what the direc- 
tion was, but stepping back upon the floor, he hurried 
back to the hammock, as if he had committed an un- 
pardonable sin in leaving it without permssion. 

If Jack was frightened by these signs of the ap- 
proach of some one, his fright amounted to pitiable 
terror when he found that he had sprung so heavily 
upon the hammock that the fastenings gave way, and 
he went down to the floor with a shock that seemed to 
him like an earthquake. 

What could he do ? 

Nothing, of course; if he had the time he had not 
the ability to readjust the hammock as it was, and so 
he sat down upon the ruins and waited for his fate. ^ 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


83 


In a short time the sound of the paddles came more 
plainly than before to him, showing that the boat was 
approaching the vessel containing him. 

He could not hear anything more of the voices, 
though he once detected something which sounded 
wonderfully like a laugh to him..^ — 

Only a few minutes were needed to bring the craft 
alongside the larger one, but, judging from the noise. 
Jack knew that it had passed by, and the prow run 
against the bank. 

But the occupants were after the larger vessel, and 
almost immediately the heavy footsteps were heard on 
the deck above. 

There was some talking and walking to and fro, and 
then a pair of heavy boots appeared at the head of the 
gangway, and straightway began to descend into the 
cabin. 

They came down very deliberately, the stairs being 
almost perpendicular, and so narrow that a full-grown 
man needed to use some caution in making his way 
down them. 

The boots reached far above the knees, and then 
there was a large installment of breeches, coat, waist 
and shoulders, and at last the shaggy countenance of 
the Mexican appeared to sight. 

The first intention of Jack was to feign sleep, but 
the broken hammock would have exposed the fraud. 


84 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

and he therefore sat resolutely on the margin of the 
smashed couch, and looking toward the man, bowed 
pleasantly as their eyes met. 

The heavily bearded face, with its forbidding expres- 
sion, has been referred to in another place, and it can- 
not be said that the boy was very delighted with what 
he saw. 

As for the Mexican, he did not return the salutation, 
but stared at the boy an instant, and then uttered an 
exclamation of surprise, caused no doubt by the col- 
lapsed hammock. 

The exclamation was so loud that it brought his 
companion to the cabin, and Jack Winch was given a 
fair view of his masters or abductors. 

As the bed seemed to cause them more concern than 
their prisoner, the latter rose and shoved himself as far 
back as he could, so as to give them a chance to repair 
it if they wished to do so. 

This suited, and they set about it immediately, act- 
ing as if no one else was present. 

The labor was not very great. 

All they had to do was to tie some more ropes and 
cords, and the thing was done. 

While they were thus engaged, their tongues were 
busy, and Jack observed that the jargon was a nigh 
enough approach to Spanish for him to catch the mean- 
ing of the words. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 85 

Now I will try and be more careful,” said he, when 
they stepped back from their work. 

You will stay here,” said the Mexican who was 
the first to enter the cabin. “ Don’t you go away with- 
out we let you ; if you try to do so, we will kill you” 

The language in which this was uttered was broken, 
but the meaning was unmistakable. 

The manner was savage, and the snaky eyes of the 
outlaw seemed to scintillate fire upon the cowering lad, 
who had made up his mind by this time that he was in 
the lion’s den. 

Poor Jack nodded his head a number of times to 
signify that he took in the command, and meant to obey 
it to the very letter. 

At the same time he indulged in the mental reserva- 
tion that he would seize the first opportunity to escape 
that came in his way. 

The Mexican waited until he felt that he was com- 
prehended, and had made an “ impression ” when he 
withdrew. 

His companion had preceded him in going on deck. 

Once more little Jack Winch was left alone. 


CHAPTER X 


ON THE BRINK OF SUCCESS OR FAILURE 

The action of the two Mexican outlaws that had 
captured Jack Winch satisfied him that they were the 
worst enemies he could have in all the world. 

He took scarcely time to conjecture how it was they 
had secured possession of him when he was in the cus- 
tody of his Uncle Frede, who had traveled in so many 
parts of the world, and had encountered so many of 
the evil classes, that he ought to have provided against 
such a calamity as this. 

Jack, we say, did not take much time to consider this 
phase of the question, for his head was occupied with 
devising some means of getting away from them. 

“ They told me if I tried to leave here, or to go on 
deck, they would kill me, and I’ve no doubt they would ; 
but, for all that. I’m going to run away the first chance 
I see.” 

The trouble was, the boy could not see how the op- 
portunity was to come to him. 

After their orders to him, he heard them walk along 
the deck and descend into the smaller boat. 

Immediately came the sound of their oars again, and 
he knew they were pulling away. 

86 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 87 


“ They’re doing that to try me,” was his conclusion, 

but they ain’t going to catch me that way. I s’pose 
they will hide somewhere, and keep watch. Like 
enough, too, they would let me have a good start, and 
then slip up and shoot me. Well, there! ” he added, 
in some excitement, “ they have left my rifle behind, 
as though they forgot it. I wonder whether they really 
did forget it, or whether that is a part of the same 
trick? I’ll see whether it’s loaded, anyway.” 

A brief examination showed that the charge was in 
it, just the same as on the night before, when he lay 
down to sleep, with no thought of harm or disturbance 
from any one. 

The presence of the loaded gun gave a confidence 
to the boy such as he had not felt before, and at the 
same time it opened a dozen wild schemes of escape. 

It would be impossible to name one-half of the 
Quixotic ideas that flitted through his brain, the most 
of which were dismissed almost as soon as formed. 

The one which he favored most was to shoot the first 
man that appeared, hoping that in the confusion he 
would be able to load up again before the second could 
do him harm. 

But sober second-thought convinced Jack that his 
plan was impracticable. 

The greatest objection was that he had no ammu- 
nition in his possession, his Uncle Frede having charge 
of that part of their outfit. 


88 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS ■ 

If he could have laid hands on two such weapons, 
ready charged, he would have made the attempt, and 
possibly might have succeeded, though there were dif- 
ficulties in the way which he could not foresee. 

He set the gun in place where it stood, before pick- 
ing it up, and taking his seat on the hammock again, 
tried hard to conjure up some other plan of baffling the 
villains who held him at their mercy. 

As was always his custom, he asked Heaven to di- 
rect him in the great dilemma, for he had learned, at 
his mother’s knee, that that source of help is the only 
one that never fails. 

The result of this long conference with himself was 
the eminently wise conclusion that the safer course 
was to wait till Providence should indicate the way. 

I wish they would give me something to eat,” he 
said, gazing wistfully around the small cabin for food. 

As mere looking would not bring forth the nourish- 
ment, he instituted a search, but the issue was a failure. 

He was unable to find so much as a fragment, and 
he made up his mind to bear his hunger as became a 
young hero, such as he meant to be. 

“ I don’t believe they want to starve me to death, 
and if they do, it will take a longer time than to-day 
to do it.” 

It was hard to confine himself in the narrow little 
apartment, as he had been told he must do; but he 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 89 

thought he could stand it for a while, and the night 
was likely to bring the chance for which he was long- 
ing so earnestly. 

Fortunately for Jack, as the hours wore away, he 
fell into a sleep again, which lasted until the day was 
well gone. 

This not only made the time seem much shorter than 
otherwise would have been the case, but it fitted him 
for the wakeful hours that were likely to become nec- 
essary, in case he should make the attempt to steal 
away from his abductors. 

Probably he would not have awakened at the time 
he did but for the confusion on deck. 

He heard the sounds of feet moving to and fro, and 
knew from the way the water was dashing against the 
sides of the craft that a breeze was blowing. 

What the confusion meant he was unable to tell for 
awhile, but at last he found the men were putting up 
the sail. 

This indicated, of course, a change of location, and 
the wonder at once was as to where they intended to 
go. 

“ Maybe they are putting out to sea, and if Uncle 
Frede means to do anything for me,’’ he thought, it is 
time he was at it.” 

Luckily for his peace of mind. Jack did not believe 
that any trouble had befallen his relative. 


90 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


A few moments later, the boat began moving slowly 
through the water, and the noise on deck ceased. 

The vessel was under way, and there was little work 
necessary to keep the craft in the stream. 

The boy supposed that the men had been in the cabin 
while he was asleep, though he could not see any evi- 
dences of their visit that they had left behind them. 

He was reclining on the hammock, with that yearn- 
ing for motion and exercise which always comes over 
an active person when compelled to be quiescent. 

But he dare not stir, or at least to leave the cabin, 
when he was aroused by the appearance of one of the 
heavily-bearded men coming down to call on him. 

The visit was a most welcome one, as the outlaw 
bore in his hand a portion of a cooked fish, which he 
threw to the boy, pointing at the same time to a jug 
of water which sat on the floor at his feet. 

The man, having done this, withdrew again without 
a word, though Jack returned thanks for his considera- 
tion. 

That suits me,’’ said the boy, as he proceeded to 
place himself outside the nourishment, “ and there is 
enough here to keep me going for another day, any 
way.” 

Had there been a window, he would have ventured 
to peep out to learn the direction they were following ; 
but, as that was impossible, he could only conclude 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


91 


from the fact that the bow of the craft was pointing 
up stream when he made his observation, and he had 
failed to notice anything like a turning at the time of 
starting, that they were making their way up stream. 

Such was the fact, and after a voyage lasting an hour 
or so, the sounds above told him that they were moor- 
ing fast to the shore again. 

The noise of limbs sweeping over the deck proved 
that they were a good ways from the ocean. 

By the time the boat was made fast, the sun must 
have set, for Jack noticed the increasing gloom, which 
showed that the day was nearly at a close. 

Jack expected that as the night advanced the men 
would come below and turn in till morning. 

But they did not appear, and, after considerable time, 
the silence above showed that their work was done. 

The faint smell of tobacco stealing into the cabin 

indicated further that they were indulging in their 
pipes. 

Long before this. Jack Winch had agreed with him- 
self upon the course he meant to pursue. 

He had slept so much through the day that he was 
confident he could keep awake the entire night through, 
besides which he was so filled with his scheme that 
there was nothing like drowsiness to warn him that he 
was in danger of failing from that cause. 

His strategy was to pretend he was asleep, and after 


92 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


throwing the outlaws o£f their guard, he hoped they 
would sink into slumber themselves and give him a 
chance to steal away from the boat. 

It seemed to him that the fellows were a long while 
going to sleep, as the hours wore away, and still the 
smell of the tobacco reached him, and there was no stir 
on deck. 

To one who was waiting like Jack, the time could 
not but seem very wearisome, and much longer than 
it really was. 

At last the sounds reached him, however, which in- 
dicated that the outlaws were about to turn in for the 
night. 

The expectation of course was that they would enter 
the cabin and take possession of the hammocks, but 
such was not their purpose. 

The night was so mild and pleasant, that the deck 
was preferred to any other place, and Jack found out 
that they meant to sleep there. 

Before doing so, one of them came to the cabin-door 
and called to him. 

He did not answer, and the call was repeated several 
times in a louder key, with the same result, or rather 
with no result at all. 

Then the Mexican came into the place, and feeling 
round the couch until his hand rested upon the shoulder 
of the boy, he shook him roughly, but still failed to 
wake him. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


93 


With a muttered exclamation, he went back to join 
his companion, and doubtless to report that their pris- 
oner was as unconscious as a log. 

“ I guess I fooled them that far,” concluded the boy, 
with some natural exultation, “ for they think I am so 
sound asleep that I won’t open my eyes again until 
morning. 

When they would sink into the same condition was 
an all-important matter to him, for a mistake on that 
point would be one which he could not correct. 

Young as was Jack Winch, he realized very well 
that he could make but one attempt to escape. 

If he should fail now he would fail for all time. 

The darkness in the cabin was as profound as that 
of Egypt. 

After awhile he stirred about to see whether that 
would attract notice from above. 

He made considerable noise, but could not see that 
it was heard by either of his captors. 

Then he reached out his hand to learn whether his 
gun was in place, and was gratified to find that it was. 

If I go,” he thought, “ that little thing goes with 
me, dead sure.” 

It was a strange thing for the Mexicans to do in thus 
leaving a loaded gun within reach of the boy. 

But they must have concluded from his size and age 
that he could not screw his courage up to the point of 
using it. 


94 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


The next resort of Jack was to roll out of his ham- 
mock and strike with a heavy bump on the floor. 

This was also accompanied by quite a racket, but, 
so far as he could ascertain, it occasioned not the slight- 
est notice from above. 

It appeared that the way was already open, but he 
dared not undertake to get out as yet. 

I think ril wait another hour,” he said to himself, 
** and then they will be sure to be asleep.” 

He actually waited full two hours, during which 
there was not the slightest tendency to drowsiness on 
his part, though for most of the time he was stretched 
out upon the hammock in the most favorable posture 
to lose his consciousness. 

He needed no sleep, and he was not in the condition 
to secure it if he really required it. 

When the period mentioned had expired. Jack 
Winch made up his mind that the attempt should be 
made. 

For the twentieth time he asked Heaven to guide 
him in the venture he was to undertake, and then 
reaching out for his gun, he made his way to the bot- 
tom of the few steps leading to the deck. 

This he did without the least noise, and had he been 
also able to move the rest of the distance in the same 
manner, his safety would have been assured from the 
beginning. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


95 


At every movement of the foot he paused to listen, 
but there was nothing to cause any misgiving. 

This was repeated until he had gone up the steps one 
by one, and at last stood on the highest, ready to place 
his foot on the deck. 

Here began the real danger, and the lad waited a 
long time before making the venture. 


CHAPTER XI 


A DARING EFFORT 

The night, like the previous one, was without any 
moon, and so dark that Jack Winch could not see the 
length of the deck. 

There were enough stars shining overhead to show 
that the sky was clear, and there was nothing to be 
dreaded in the shape of a tropical storm. 

Though the boy could see naught of the outlaws, he 
was gratified to receive other evidence of their being 
in the somnolent condition he so ardently desired. 

Both were breathing heavily on the deck, somewhere 
close at hand. 

The fear caused him to hesitate for a time. 

Suppose they were also feigning sleep, as he had 
done, for the purpose of luring him on to the attempt 
which would give them the pretext to kill him ! 

It did not occur to Jack that if they wished to put 
him out of the way they would not wait for a pretext 
for so doing. 

He was very desirous of learning precisely where 
the two were stretched, for it would be very awkward 
if he should happen to set his foot down on the kom- 
ach of one of the villains. 


96 


THROUGH JUNGLE 'AND WILDERNESS 


97 


He thought he could tell this by the sense of hear- 
ing, as the overshadowing trees made it impossible to 
take the slightest advantage of the faint starlight which 
penetrated to some other places on that night. 

One thing, however, was certain — the deck was so 
small that he must pass close to where both the men 
were lying. 

A few minutes’ halt for reconnoissance and prayer, 
and Jack Winch resumed his flight. 

The only plan that he could form while waiting in 
the cabin was merely that of leaving the boat. 

As to what he should do upon reaching the wood 
was a question which he must settle afterward. 

Step by step he advanced, moving along the small 
deck with the silence of a shadow, until he had gone 
two-thirds of the distance between the bow and stern. 

At this juncture he lifted his foot and placed it down 
on the arm of one of the Mexicans. 

He discovered the misstep before he bore his entire 
weight upon the limb, but he was sure that all was 
lost. 

The fellow stirred and muttered, but he did not 
wake, and the hot shivers that had been chasing each 
other up and down the back of the boy ceased, and he 
immediately gained a greater degree of confidence 
than before. 

If such a disturbance as that failed to arouse his ene- 


98 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

mies, he might well feel secure against their awaking 
when he made no noise greater than that of a cautious 
stepping over the deck. 

This assurance enabled Jack to stand still some two 
or three minutes while he peered around in the gloom, 
and tried to decide what was the best thing for him to 
do next. 

How to leave the craft was the question he consid- 
ered. 

The difficulty was, he could not use his eyes to any 
advantage. 

The vessel was lying so close to land that, if he 
could only be sure of where he ought to place his feet, 
he could make the jump in an instant and have it over. 

The temptation to leap out in the darkness in the 
direction of land was strong, and had either of the 
Mexicans awaked he would have done so. 

He had already advanced so far that there was to be 
no such thing as retreat. 

A new danger suddenly appeared, of which Jack had 
never dreamed. 

While he was looking about in the gloom, he dis- 
cerned a small but bright light but a short distance 
away. 

As nearly as he could judge, it was on the other side 
the bay in which the craft was resting. 

His first thought was that it was a large star, but 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


99 


its motion showed that it could not be that, and im- 
mediately after, the noise made by dipping oars showed 
that it was some sort of light carried in a boat. 

While still looking in that direction, he suddenly 
awoke to the alarming fact that the boat containing 
it was being rowed toward the craft on whose deck 
he was standing! 

That was an alarming discovery indeed, and sug- 
gested to Jack in the most emphatic manner that it 
would not do to hesitate any longer. 

The smaller boat would be at the side of the larger 
one in a few minutes, and the men of both would be in 
communication with each other. 

Almost at the same second in which he awoke to 
this, there came a call from the little boat, which was 
no more than a hundred yards off. 

It was so loud that the boy wondered why it didn't 
bring both of his foes to their feet. 

But Jack did not stand idle during this exciting mo- 
ment. 

As rapidly as he dared, he moved along the deck, 
feeling with his hands for the rope of the boat which 
he believed was tied fast to the larger one. 

Thus he traversed the whole length of the deck, 
but his hand touched nothing which felt like a rope. 

The situation was desperate, and the terror of the 
little fellow was increased when the signal or call was 


lOO 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


repeated from the men approaching, and was actually 
answered by one of the Mexicans within ten feet of 
where the lad stood ! 

There was danger for a minute that the boy would 
become paralyzed with fear, and remain where he was 
until detected or would lose his presence of mind al- 
together. 

Fortunately he escaped both fatal mishaps. 

Realizing the desperate character of the situation, 
he placed his hand on the gunwale as a guide, and then 
passed both feet over and sat down so as to put him in 
a position ready to make the leap when ready. 

In doing this, however, he forgot his caution in his 
haste, and made a noise which attracted the suspicion 
of the outlaw standing so near him, that the fellow 
gave utterance to some wondering expression as to 
what the cause could be, and then stepped forward and 
reached out his hand toward the boy. 

The latter heard him come, and gathering his strength 
as best he could, made a bound from the sitting posi- 
tion, and succeeded in going quite a respectable dis- 
tance for one placed at such a disadvantage. 

He was relieved beyond measure to land upon the 
hard ground instead of in the water, as he dreaded. 

Had he dropped in the current, the Mexican would 
have learned the precise spot where he fell, and most 
probably would have clutched him before he could have 
recovered terra Erma. 


THROUGH JUNGLE ^AND WILDERNESS 


lOt 


As it was, the dull thump caused by his feet striking 
the earth was heard by the outlaw, who was sharp- 
witted enough to understand what it meant. 

With a horrible imprecation he called to his com- 
rade to awaken, and then, with only a few seconds' 
delay, bounded over the gunwale, striking almost on 
the very spot where the lad had landed. 

This was the most critical time of all, for the least 
failure of resource or loss of presence of mind would 
be fatal. 

It was a great trial of the nerves of the boy, but he 
proved equal to the test. 

Just so soon as he felt his feet upon the hard ground, 
he moved as stealthily and rapidly away from the spot 
as he could. 

Instead of going straight into the wood he turned 
to the right, and sneaked up the stream. 

Thus it was that he came to be a dozen feet from 
where he struck, and where the Mexican came down 
on the earth in his search after him. 

Here again, the least inadvertence would have ended 
the hunt in the most disastrous manner for him. 

The outlaw being on shore stopped and stood still, 
during which he listened for the slightest sound that 
could tell him where the fugitive was. 

But, unfortunately for the ruffian, the boy was as 
motionless and still as he, and he failed to get the clue 
for which he was looking. 


102 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


But the situation of Jack was critical, for the boat 
which had attracted his notice and alarm was now 
within a few rods of where he was standing, with the 
occupants in a very wide awake condition. 

A few more strokes and they would be where he 
was, and the game would be up and all lost. 

To make matters worse, the second outlaw was up 
and on the alert. 

To remain where he was any longer was to insure 
discovery, and to move did not promise much greater 
success. 

As fate would have it, the small boat with the light 
in it was heading directly toward the spot where the 
boy was standing. 

As the darkness of the wood promised the best se- 
curity, Jack turned about and began stealing as quietly 
as he could into that. 

Despite the care which he used, the keen ear of the 
listening Mexican heard him, and he made a rush to- 
ward the spot. 

The boy dived deeper into the wood and suddenly 
found himself in the water. 

The depth, however, was only a few inches, and the 
bottom was so hard that it caused him no inconven- 
ience; but the unavoidable splashing served to tell his 
pursuer more certainly where he was. 

Jack did not dare to turn back, for his enemy was 
too close. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


103 

So he dashed ahead with all the desperate speed he 
could command. 

The water continued of the same shallow depth, its 
width being a couple of rods or so. 

Before the young fugitive could reach the wooded 
shore for which he was striving, the Mexican was 
close behind him. 

“ Car ah — h — h! ” he muttered, with his knife in his 
hand, holding it with a tight grasp, ready to plunge it 
into the body of the lad the instant he should come 
within striking distance. 

Before he could do that. Jack wheeled about, with 
his rifle aimed straight at the outlaw’s breast. 

Stop, or I’ll shoot ! ” he called out. 

This defiance was so unexpected that the fellow al- 
most ran upon the muzzle of his rifle before he could 
check himself. 

But he was terrified most thoroughly, and ducked 
his head as if he saw the bullet coming. 

“ Go, quick ! or I’ll fire, any way ! ” 

The outlaw was so taken all aback that he wheeled 
about and darted for the shore again. 

Had he suspected any such move on the part of the 
boy, he would have checkmated it in advance by shoot- 
ing him. 

He carried a pistol, but he needed a minute or so to 
draw and prepare it for use. 


104 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Had Jack remained any longer where he was, it 
might have gone ill with him, but, without compre- 
hending the imperative necessity of such a step, he 
no sooner saw his enemy fleeing from him than he also 
turned and fled. 

He would have fired the gun at the fellow, could he 
have felt sure of hitting him, but in the gloom and ex- 
citement he was afraid to run the risk. 

Jack was too sensible to attempt any more hiding, 
now that the Mexicans were fully aroused and on the 
hunt for him. 

Not only the two who had charge of the larger 
craft, but those who came up in the small-boat, had 
caught the “ idea ’’ and joined in the search. 

The young fugitive heard them signaling on all 
sides, like so many Indians trying to drive some game 
from cover. 

He endeavored to get along without any noise, but 
at such a time, when haste was more important than 
anything else, it was out of the question, and the dan- 
ger was that he would draw his pursuers directly to 
him. 

Better fortune attended his daring effort to get away. 

When he had run a considerable distance, he ven- 
tured to stop for a second or two to get breath. 

To his delight, he heard nothing of his enemies. 

They seemed to have given up the pursuit alto- 
gether. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS. 


loS 

Young as Jack was, he was too wise to be entirely 
satisfied with this silence. 

To him it had the appearance of a part of a trick to 
deceive and lead him into some trap. 

At any rate, he did not accept it as proof that he 
was beyond all present danger, but he began to steal 
along so deliberately that he was able to do it without 
any noise at all. 

It was the wisest thing he could have done, and, in- 
deed, the only course that saved him. 

He had been gone from the place but a moment, 
when the Mexican who had run such a risk of being 
shot stole as silently forward as a shadow, grasping 
his knife, and looking eagerly for his victim. 


CHAPTER XII 


TREED 

But the victim wasn’t there. 

The Mexican groped around and listened and peered 
everywhere for the boy, but he failed to gain the least 
clue of him. 

It looked very much as if the outlaw had been out- 
witted by one whose years numbered one-fourth of 
his. 

Still he waited and listened for something that might 
serve to tell him where the daring little fellow was, 
but it was all in vain. 

In a short time he was joined by two others, who 
did all they could to help him, but their assistance 
amounted to nothing, and finally they were all com- 
pelled to go back to the bay without any knowledge 
as to where the lad was. 

But they did not give up the hope of retaking him 
by any means. 

With the coming of the morrow they could track 
him through the woods, and as he would not be able 
to tell where he was or how he was to get out of the 
forest, it looked as if they had a good chance of get- 
ting him, after all. 

io6 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


107 


Jack made the most of his chance of escape, now 
that he had succeeded in getting away thus far. 

He kept up his stealthy flight until he was more than 
a hundred yards from where he started, when he be- 
gan to breathe more freely and to consider himself 
safe. 

Nothing was to be discovered of his pursuers, and 
after walking some distance further in a more careless 
and natural manner, he slowed up, and for the first 
time since his capture endeavored to think calmly upon 
what was before him. 

Now that he was free of his enemies, what was he 
to do? 

The one great object of his heart just then was to 
find the means of effecting a junction with his Uncle 
Frede, whom he supposed was making a hunt for him. 

The only way in which he could gain any idea of 
the points of the compass was by the sound of the 
ocean. 

Listening carefully, he was able to detect the roar 
of the deep, and he turned his steps toward it. 

“ When I get there,” he said to himself, all that I 
have to do is to keep along the coast till I reach the 
spot where we had our camp last night, and then I will 
find him, if he is there” 

The latter clause he added in response to the 
thought that the hunt of the uncle might have led him 
away from the spot he had in view. 


io8 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

However, the wisest course the boy could take, no 
doubt, was that which he adopted. 

One great advantage, it prevented that inevitable 
and tantalizing blunder which follows a man when he 
is lost and is without any landmarks to consult. 

Instead of wandering aimlessly around in an irregu- 
lar circle, Jack Winch was enabled to follow some- 
thing like a straight line. 

How far he had to travel to reach the sea he could 
not conjecture, as the roar of the deep on a still night 
is of that nature that a mile’s distance makes scarcely 
any perceptible difference. 

It was not likely that the route was such that he 
would not have reached it before morning had he been 
permitted to continue on his way, but he had not gone 
far when a startling interruption occurred. 

This came in the discovery that some person or ani- 
mal was following him. 

This is not the most pleasant discovery that one 
can make on a dark night, when he is away from home, 
and when Jack heard the stealthy footsteps close be- 
hind him, he gave a howl of terror and sprang from 
the ground. 

Then he recollected that his loaded gun was in his 
hand, and his consternation decreased very much. 

His first supposition was that his old enemy, the 
Mexican, was close on his track, and about to seize 
him. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


109 


Keep off ! ” he called out in a suppressed voice. 
“ If you touch me you’ll get a bullet, dead sure.” 

There was no response to this, and the peculiar noise 
on the leaves, at that instant, caused Jack to know that 
it was a quadruped instead of a biped that was paying 
him such unpleasant attentions. 

This was much better than he had at first supposed, 
but he knew, for all that, he was in great peril. 

There could be no doubt that the animal — whatever 
it was — had hostile intentions toward the lad, and was 
only waiting to make up his mind as to the most ad- 
visable method of making a late supper of him. 

The darkness in the wood remained so profound, 
that Jack could see nothing at all of the creature. 

But he was sure he was of immense size, and meant 
to chew him up in a dozen mouthfuls. 

How fortunate that he had his loaded gun with him ! 

How unfortunate that he couldn’t gain the chance 
to draw a bead on the fierce quadruped ! 

When the lad halted, the beast did the same, and 
thus the two stood confronting each other in the dark- 
ness. 

He supposed that the creature was able to detect 
him, but the boy could not gain the first glimpse of 
him. 

The low muttering growl that reached his ears 
caused the beast at once to grow to double the size of 
what Jack imagined him to be in the first place. 


ZIO 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


That growl convinced the boy that the most terrible 
animal of the Mexican forests — whatever that might 
be — was at his heels. 

The fugitive was afraid to start forward again, lest 
it might make a leap and drop upon his head. 

So long as he maintained his present position the 
danger was of that nature. 

It would not do to risk a shot. 

Now, above all other occasions, it must be sure. 

If he should miss the beast, or only wound him, the 
boy would be at his mercy. 

In other words, the shot would necessarily kill the 
lad or the animal. 

Jack preferred that the animal should be the victim. 

While he was standing thus on the guard, holding 
the rifle grasped and partly pointed, he suddenly caught 
sight of the eyes. 

Like such creatures, there was a phosphorescent, 
greenish glow to the orbs, which caused them, when 
seen at a certain angle, to glisten like fire. 

No better shot than this afforded could be asked, 
and Jack pointed his weapon straight between the eyes 
and pulled the trigger. 

The instant the gun was fired he sprang back and 
interposed the trunk of the tree between him and his 
foe. 

The latter was wounded to the death, and with a 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


m 


howl of agony sprang into the air and rolled over on 
the ground in his dying struggles. 

The bullet having imbedded itself in the brain, the 
brute did not take much time to die, but in a few 
minutes he was stretched out stiff, with his life-work 
done. 

Gratified at the manner in which he had escaped his 
new danger. Jack threw his gun over his shoulder and 
resumed his march toward the Pacific. 

It’s lucky that I didn’t shoot that Mexican,” said 
he, recalling the incidents of the last half-hour, “ for 
if I had done so, I wouldn’t have had any charge left 
for that tiger, as I guess he must be; and that makes 
it seem as lucky for the Mexican as it was for me. 
But I hain’t got ammunition to use now, and I hope 
there won’t be anything coming along that will make 


The wish was in his mouth, when his blood was 
chilled again by hearing precisely the same sort of a 
growl that he had just ended by a shot from his rifle. 

It came from a point so near, too, that Jack started 
and looked around, expecting to catch the greenish 
glow again, but he did not. 

There was a mighty big difference in the situation, 
now that the lad was unarmed. 

More by instinct than by any process of reasoning, 
Jack threw his now useless gun to the ground and be- 


112 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


gan a furious climbing of the tree, whose branches 
brushed his face at the moment of starting. 

He never climbed a tree so quickly in all his life. 

The expectation that some dreadful creature was in 
the act of leaping upward to catch his legs in his claws 
tended to act as a tonic to the young fugitive, who 
never ceased climbing until he had reached the very top, 
and failed to find any more tree within his reach to 
climb. 

At such an elevation it would be supposed that the 
fugitive was safe from further disturbance, but such 
proved not to be the case. 

Jack had left his gun on the ground, because he was 
in such a hurry to get up the tree, and it was of no ac- 
count to him, now that the barrel was empty. 

But he was just beginning to breathe freely, when 
an agitation of the whole body of the branches filled 
him with consternation again. 

Whatever the nature of the animal, it was certain 
he was a climber, for he was in among the limbs at 
that very moment! 

Jack believed he was cornered at last, but he did not 
despair. 

He descended a few feet, as if he meant to meet the 
animal, but, instead of doing so, he worked his way 
out toward the end of a thick, strong branch, where 
he paused and tremblingly waited to see what the wild 
creature was going to do about it. 


THROUGH JUNGLE 'AND WILDERNESS 


In this instance the action of the boy accomplished 
more than he intended or expected. 

The wild beast, seeing him coming, must have be- 
lieved he was after him — a supposition which gener- 
ally acts as a check for a time on the dumb animals. 

However, the partial fright did not extend to scar- 
ing the creature from his perch. 

There he stuck, not more than a couple of yards 
away from the perch of the boy, who did nothing but 
look down and stare at the two greenish eyes that were 
staring so fiercely at him. 

The very terror of the situation gave Jack a courage 
which he could not have commanded under other cir- 
cumstances. 

Holding by the hands, he let himself down till his 
feet touched the limb which supported his frightful 
foe. 

All the time the brute was growling and snarling 
in a threatening way, but for some cause or other, he 
held back. 

Resting both feet upon this branch. Jack Winch 
merely poised and balanced his body by means of the 
limb to which he was clinging. 

His position was a fearful one at this time. 

If the animal chose to make the exertion, he could 
rend him to pieces in a twinkling. 

Why he did not do so is a mystery which can only 
be guessed at. 


1 14 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

As soon as Jack was confident that he had his feet 
just as they ought to be, he raised up and then jumped 
down with all his might upon the trunk of the branch 
supporting his enemy. 

The shock was so violent that the beast was dis- 
placed and fell tumbling to the ground. 

As he went, he clutched and scratched at the leaves 
and twigs, in a furious, savage way, which would have 
arrested his descent had he been given a moment in 
which to prepare himself. 

As it was, he never stopped till he landed on hard 
ground below. 

The whole thing was cleverly done; but if the ani- 
mal should take it into his head to leap up again, it 
was not at all likely the boy would find it such an easy 
matter to displace him. 

It was a curious fact that the wild beast did not re- 
peat his attempt upon the life of the lad. 

His reception by the little fellow must have given 
him an idea that he was a very peculiar chap, who 
might be hatching some trick more disagreeable than 
was the last. 

He probably felt like the barbarians when Archi- 
medes began to get his work in on them. 

He didn't know what was coming next. 

But if the brute chose to remain on the ground, he 
did not leave the vicinity. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


It may be that he was waiting till daylight to gain 
a view of the boy that had displaced him from his 
perch. 

At any rate, Jack heard him walking around be- 
neath the tree, growling and snarling, and occasion- 
ally pausing as if he had made up his mind to try it 
again among the branches. 

Several times the boy caught sight of the gleaming 
orbs, and he could not but wonder why it was the 
creature left him alone. 

There was no danger of Jack going to sleep in such 
a situation, and he maintained his perch, looking down 
and listening for the dreaded leap until the growing 
light in the east showed that the night was ended and 
blessed day had come again. 


CHAPTER XIII 


WANDERINGS IN THE WOOD 

At the earliest streakings of light in the East, the 
wild animal that had held Jack Winch in such terror 
through most of the night took his departure. 

He whisked away and out of sight before the boy 
could gain a glimpse of him, so that he was never able 
to learn the species to which he belonged. 

Very naturally, the lad was wearied with his 
cramped and long-continued position in the tree, and 
as soon as he found the animal had gone he came down 
and stretched his limbs. 

The rifle remained just as he had left it, when he 
made his hurried ascent of the tree, and he picked it 
up, and started in the direction of the dull roar which 
came from the ocean. 

I have heard Uncle Frede tell how some of the 
Indians in Mexico and the United States can track 
anybody through the woods and over rocks and among 
bushes and everywhere but in the water, and I wonder 
now whether those Mexicans wont be after me.^' 

It seemed so probable to the boy that he was ren- 
dered quite uneasy. 

ii6 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


117 

He examined his own trail for a short ways back 
and found that it was so distinctly marked that he 
could trace it with little difficulty. 

Well, well,'^ he muttered in alarm, that won’t 
do; they’ll be along here inside of half an hour.” 

As a means of throwing his enemies off the track, 
he turned from the direct course to the sea, and made 
a little hunt for the water, in which he hoped to hide 
his trail. 

He was more fortunate than he had a right to expect. 

Only a little ways from where he had spent the 
greater part of the night, he found a small narrow bay 
which put in from the ocean for quite a distance up into 
the interior. 

The water of this was quite muddy, so that he was in 
doubt whether it was over his head or not. 

However, he was able to swim, though he did not 
relish the prospect of a ducking, now that his clothes 
were dry and comfortable upon him. 

So he removed his shoes and stockings, rolled up 
his trowsers and waded carefully out from shore. 

He went far enough to be sure his trail could not be 
seen through the water, when he commenced to make 
his way down stream toward the ocean. 

His whole object in doing this, as we have explained, 
was to prevent the Mexicans trailing him, as he be- 
lieved they would attempt to do. 


ii8 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


He was fearful of dropping in some hole over his 
head, and moved with such extreme care that it re- 
quired a full hour for him to pass a couple of hundred 
yards. 

Even then he would not have come out the inlet, as it 
appeared to be, had not some sort of denizen of the sea 
whisked by him so closely that he felt the cold touch 
against his leg. 

“ A shark ! a shark ! ” he yelled, as he floundered out 
and danced about and looked down several times at his 
legs, to satisfy himself that they had not been bitten off. 

This ended his traveling through the water for the 
present. 

Replacing his shoes and stockings, he resumed his 
flight along the bank of the bay, which curved so 
sweepingly to the left that he could look almost across 
it, as it were, and see the spot where he had entered in 
the first place. Could he believe his eyes ? 

There, sure enough, he saw the very Mexicans from 
whom he was fleeing, approach the bank of the inlet 
and stare at something in the water. 

Providentially, Jack happened to look that way the 
very moment that they appeared, and he darted back out 
of ^^i^ht before they raised their eyes. 

Crouching behind a tree, he peered out and watched 
them. 

There could be no doubt, from their actions, that 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


119 

they had been following his trail just as he expected 
them to do. 

They walked to the margin of the water, where 
they paused, and he could see from their gestures that 
they were discussing some matter in a very excited 
manner. 

Seeing nothing on the surface of the inlet which 
could explain where the young fugitive had gone, the 
eyes of the outlaws roamed up and down the shore, in 
quest of some clue. 

Jack was in such trepidation lest they should see him 
that he shrank into as small a space as possible, and 
only dared to peep out just as he used to do at home 
when playing the game of hide-and-seek. 

But the distance was too great for the outlaws to 
discover him, and, after standing where they were a 
few minutes longer, the two turned about and disap- 
peared from sight. 

I guess they’ve got enough of hunting for me,” 
concluded the boy, venturing to resume his journey 
down the stream. 

With the inlet to guide them. Jack had no fear of go- 
ing wrong, and he picked his way along as carefully as 
he could, clinging to the shelter of the wood, and on the 
constant watch for either friend or foe. 

Jack, we say, had no apprehension of getting astray, 
but he was yet to learn how easily one may go wrong, 
when he is confident he is on the right path. 


120 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


The course of the inlet was so winding that the roar 
of the ocean was sometimes at his back and again in 
his front or on his side. 

He had passed over perhaps a mile, and was going 
along with a more than usual careless gait, when he 
came around another turn of the bay, and stopped with 
an exclamation of amazement. 

I should like to know what that means, he said to 
himself, staring and wondering. 

That which caused his wonderment was a vessel 
lying close to land, and on the same side of the inlet 
that he was. 

So far as he could judge, it looked very much like 
the one from which he had managed to make his es- 
cape. 

Queer what business that has there,” he added, sur- 
veying it with great interest. “ Hello! there are some 
of the crew.” 

Two men at that moment appeared on deck and 
walked, one after the other, toward the cabin near the 
stern. 

The consternation of the boy may be guessed when 
he recognized them as the Mexicans that had followed 
him to the edge of the water. 

Having once seen them, he could make no mistake 
about their identity. 

The inevitable conclusion was, that this was also 
the craft from which he had fled during the night.. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


121 


Consequently, instead of going down stream toward 
the ocean, as he had believed he was doing, he had been 
ascending the inlet, and was not only that much further 
from the Pacific, but so close to his enemies that he 
could have thrown a stone to them. 

But, as Jack had kept along with the current, he was 
puzzled for a time to understand how this could be, 
until he reflected that he was deceived by the tide set- 
ting up the inlet. 

He had mistaken that for the natural flow of the 
water into the ocean. 

The discovery disheartened him for a while, but he 
soon rallied, when he came to understand how it was, 
and he turned about and started with renewed energy 
to recover the lost ground. 

He had a long ways to travel to reach the ocean, 
along whose beach he expected to find something 
which would lead to where his uncle was awaiting him ; 
but he had only to persevere to reach it in time. 

Although Jack had put in a good supply of sleep on 
the previous day, yet a night had since passed without 
his gaining a minute of slumber, and he now became 
sensible of the need of it. 

His system had been subjected to such a strain, and 
he had already walked so far, that he could not escape 
a feeling of weariness and drowsiness, which caused 
him to long for a few more hours of rest before finish- 
ing his search. 


122 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Beside this, he was in need of food, and this, united 
with his anxiety to find his relative, caused him to feel 
anything but comfortable. 

He was too close to the vessel containing his ene- 
mies to venture to rest where he was, and he kept his 
weary footsteps dragging along until he had accom- 
plished a half mile or so, when, an inviting place 
presenting itself, he threw himself on the ground and 
almost immediately fell asleep. 

Providence watched over him, and during the hours 
that he slumbered no danger came nigh him. 

When he opened his eyes, the sun was in the mer- 
idian, and the day was oppressively warm. 

But he was greatly refreshed by his rest, and sprang 
up ready and eager to continue his journey. 

It still seemed to Jack that the only means by which 
he could expect to find his relative was by making his 
way to the place of their encampment on the beach. 

But while moving along the inlet, he was struck Avith 
the absurdity of supposing that during the several days 
that had passed since their separation Alfredo had staid 
in the same spot. 

I s’pose while I’ve been looking for him, he’s been 
looking for me, and when I get out on the shore he may 
be miles away in the woods, and both of us getting 
further apart all the time.” 

This reflection tended to slacken his steps somewhat, 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


123 


but he persevered, and in a short time thereafter passed 
the very place where he had entered the water on the 
preceding afternoon, when seeking to hide his trail 
from the Mexicans. 

It seems to me that I haven’t had anything to eat 
since we left home a fortnight ago,” he muttered, as 
he reflected on his hunger. 

There were evidences of the wonderful growth of the 
tropics in the woods around him, though nothing like 
what he expected to find further in the interior. 

There were plenty of berries, which looked inviting 
to the taste, but heretofore he had left them alone, 
through fear of being poisoned. 

Now, however, he was so hungered that he was will- 
ing to risk it. 

I might as well be poisoned to death as to starve,” 
was his theory, as he began plucking some yellow and 
scarlet berries growing upon bushes about the height 
of his head. 

He found them pleasant to the taste, though rather 
sticky, and inclined to hold on to the hands. 

But he was thus enabled to do a great deal toward 
satisfying that craving which demanded food of some 
kind in such language that he was in misery until it 
could be procured. 

In the course of an hour he had reached a point on 
the inlet lower than had been touched before, and the 


124 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


deepening of the roar of the ocean showed that it was 
not far off. 

I wonder if there is any danger from those Mexi- 
cans ? ” he asked himself, when he found he was so 
near the beach. “ They may think that that is where 
I’m going, and go down there themselves and head me 
off.” 

There was nothing very improbable in this, but it did 
not cause Jack to alter his course, for in case it was 
changed he had nowhere else to turn. 

At last, as he began one of those sweeping curves 
for which this inlet was marked, he caught sight of the 
ocean ahead. 

It was yet some distance off, but there it was, as 
grand and impressive and beautiful as it must be to the 
end of time. 

Looking far out to sea, he could catch a sight of a 
white line of foam on the blue expanse, showing where 
the breakers were coming in toward land. 

And in the very horizon was a sail creeping along 
like some great bird resting on the water. 

Between that and the shore was a steamer, most 
probably on its way to California. 

The distance was such that that, too, to the casual 
glance, seemed to be stationary, while the dark line 
of vapor from its smoke-stack appeared like a line of 
clouds resting against the sky. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


125 


But both, of course, were moving, as they were soon 
seen to be crossing the patch of sea exposed to view. 

While Jack was gazing at them they went out of 
sight. 

Almost immediately another sail appeared, much 
closer in, and as it was headed in, he believed that it 
was going to come ashore. 

“ ril bet that father has sent that after me,*’ was his 
first thought. “ And if Uncle Frede and me don’t get 
away from this spot pretty soon, he’ll take us, sure.” 

Further reflection convinced him that his first suppo- 
sition was without foundation, and indeed impossible, 
under the circumstances. 

“ I’ll go on and hunt up Uncle Frede,” he added, 

starting forward, “ and then we’ll see whether ” 

I guess I wouldn’t hurry, young man ! ” 

The startling words were uttered in the very ear of 
Jack Winch, and at the same moment his arm was 
grasped by some one with a grip like that of iron. 


CHAPTER XIV 


TRAVELING INLAND 

For one moment Jack Winch was paralyzed with 
terror, when, as he stood looking at the sea and com- 
muning with himself, he felt his arm seized and him- 
self addressed by some one behind him. 

He had been thinking of the Mexicans but an instant 
before, and he was sure it was one of them who had 
caaptured him again. 

But the happiest kind of a surprise greeted him. 

It was Uncle Frede, and nobody else! 

There he was, with the same handsome face lit up by 
smiles, and as delighted to meet the boy as the latter 
was to meet him. 

I think it's about time you showed yourself," said 
he, for Tve been hunting for you most of two days 
past. Where have you been ? Come, give an account 
of yourself." 

Jack had to laugh and shake the hand of his uncle 
over and over several times, before he could bring him- 
self down to anything like sober talk. 

Finally, when they had moved along a short distance 
further, until they reached a point close to the mouth 
126 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


127 


of the inlet, they sat down on the sand and talked it 
all over with each other. 

The boy told his uncle all that has been made known 
to the reader, and then Alfredo took up the story and 
gave a little more than we have related. 

He said that he had kept up the search ever since, but 
was almost in despair when he learned that he had 
been carried off to sea. 

Beyond the tracking of him to the water’s edge, he 
had no means of going, and he was debating the point 
of proceeding to Panama, and engaging the captain in 
the search, when his course led him up the inlet along 
whose bank he found his young friend. 

While pursuing his way with no certainty as to what 
he would do, he espied the craft in which the boy had 
actually been taken away. 

Of course he had no means of knowing this, but he 
suspected it, and he determined to find out before pro- 
ceeding further. 

He was provided with gun and pistol, and in case of 
a fight, was confident he could take care of himself. 

He hailed the boat several times, but receiving no 
answer, he boarded it with the purpose of compelling 
attention. 

A short search showed him that no one was on it. 

This was on the morning succeeding the escape of 
Jack from the vessel, and as the reader will remember, 


128 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

the two men who composed the crew were away at that 
time searching for him. 

No clue being obtainable, Frede left the boat to con- 
tinue his search in his aimless way, trusting very much 
to Providence and very little to his own energies and 
skill. 

The second day passed without learning anything 
additional, and his solicitude was of the most painful 
nature. 

His belief was that the men who had robbed him had 
carried off the boy with the intention of holding him 
for ransom. 

Taking him to some safe position in the mountains, 
they could notify his friends that he would be returned 
on the payment of a large sum of money. 

The funds, of course, would be procured, but that 
was not the kind of business in which Alfredo desired 
to engage. 

And so the second day dawned, and the man was in 
a disconsolate mood, when to his unbounded amaze- 
ment he caught sight of Jack but a short ways ahead of 
him, as he stood and looked out upon the sea. 

In a few minutes he slipped up behind him, and here 
they were. 

‘‘And have you anything to eat?” asked the boy, 
the instant the naration was finished. 

Are you hungry ? ” 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


129 


I never was so nigh starving in all my life.’’ 

‘‘ The place where I spent last night is only a short 
distance from here, and there is abundance of the best 
kind of food.” 

“ Let’s go to it, then, as quick as lightning,” said 
Jack, springing to his feet and waiting impatiently for 
his relative to show him the road leading thereto. 

Alfredo kept his word. 

A comparatively short distance away was found the 
spot where the night had been spent, and where he had 
cooked enough food for several men. 

Jack ate all he could possibly hold, and then asked 
his uncle about the berries he had swallowed. 

He was greatly relieved to find that they were harm- 
less, and no ill effects need be apprehended. 

As both had secured a good night’s rest and were 
now provided with a substantial breakfast, it was 
agreed that they should strike at once for the interior 
without any more delay. 

Alfredo had lost his watch — and so had Jack — and 
he had been robbed of a large sum of money. 

But he had made known to his companion that he 
was not penniless by any means. 

I carry a belt around my body,” he laughed, “ and 
I guess there is enough there to pay for a guide when 
we find him.” 

‘‘ Where are we going to find him ? ” was the natural 
question. 


130 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


“ Oh, there is no need of being alarmed; there are 
plenty of people in this part of the world, and any one 
of them will do, if only he is paid enough for his ser- 
vices/' 

I hope we will soon find him, for if we hang around 
here much longer, the Mexicans may come back." 

‘‘ I rather wish they would,” replied Alfredo, “ for I 
would like to pay a part of that debt I owe them.” 

How far can we go without a guide, uncle ? ” 

We might succeed in reaching Vera Cruz, but I 
wouldn't want to try it, for there are some ugly places 
among those mountains that you can see yonder.” 

Then there must be people living between here and 
there, or you wouldn't be so sure of finding a guide.” 

Of course ; there are lots of them, and we won't get 
very far into the country before some of them will find 
us out and will be down to learn what we want. In that 
way, you see, we will be able to pick our man.” 

“ Suppose the man is a robber like those who ran 
away with me? ” 

‘‘We cannot escape that risk; but I have seen so 
many of those characters that I can tell very well what 
he is before I engage him.” 

“ How long do you think we shall be in reaching 
Vera Cruz. 

“ That is a hard question to answer. It might be 
done in the course of three or four weeks, and it may 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


131 

take us much longer. A great deal will depend on the 
sort of guide we secure.’' 

“ And then, if we ain’t in a hurry, we can potter 
along as long as we want to.” 

“ That is logical ; we shall meet and see enough there 
to engage our interest, I can assure you.” 

‘‘ Any bears and tigers? ” 

“ I rather think not, but there are so many disagree- 
able inhabitants that you will wish there were less.” 

‘‘ Any snakes ? ” 

‘‘ Millions of them. You ought to remember that all 
tropical countries abound with poisonous reptiles, and 
I consider that the great danger in traveling through a 
section like this is with the reptiles more than anything 
else.” 

“ How is it that I haven’t been bothered with any 
while I was poking round in the woods ? ” 

“ You’re a little too near the sea; if you want to find 
them in abundance, you must go into the interior, and 
it is not necessary to go very far, either. We shall meet 
them very soon.” 

'' What kind are they ? ” 

Don’t ask me such questions,” replied the uncle, 
“ for it would be out of my power to answer. Have a 
little patience, and you will learn before you are many 
days older.” 

“ I ain’t afraid of being hurt by any of them, but 


132 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Fd like to see some bigger animals than what you've 
been talking about." 

“It is not given to you to choose what you shall 
meet. You know that there is scarcely any part of the 
world which does not contain wonders that could keep 
your attention and interest for weeks, and months and 

» j > 

years. 

Now that they had turned their backs upon their 
friends and home for a time, the two explorers ad- 
dressed themselves to the task which they had under- 
taken, and which was sure to be attended with plenty 
of adventure, and mayhap with considerable danger. 

The couple had been on similar excursions before, 
though never upon anything so extensive; but they 
had, or rather the boy, who was quick-witted, had 
picked up a great deal of the ways of the wood, and 
was far more capable of assisting in a work of this 
kind than would be expected from one of his tender 
years. 

He was the owner of the small light rifle, purchased 
expressly for him over a year before, and he was quite 
expert in its use. 

Unlike too many lads of his age, he was sensible 
that most people, and especially the gentleman who 
had him in charge, knew a great deal more of the world 
than he did, and he was attentive and ready to obey at 
all times. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 133 

Add to this, that both were the happy possessors of 
robust health, and it will be admitted that the condi- 
tions were favorable for an excursion that was likely 
to prove one that would remain a pleasant memory to 
them all their lives. 

Looking in land from the coast, a variegated country 
was seen composed of woodland and hill, while a little 
to the left, and a long distance away, the outline of a 
chain of mountains, among which were several peaks 
of great elevation, were observed against the clear sky. 

The little field-glass which Alfredo always carried 
with him showed the misty contour of another range 
directly ahead, toward which they intended to press 
their way. 

And through which we must go,” added the gen- 
tleman. 

“ It will be hard work to climb over them,” said 
Jack, after he had taken a look through the telescope. 

So hard that we will not attempt it,” said his 
friend. 

“ How then ? Shall we go round ? ” 

“No, but through them; we shall find passes and 
footpaths which will save us such great labor; all I 
want now is to come across some fellow who lives in 
this neighborhood, and whom we can hire to accom- 
pany us the rest of the way.” 

“ Suppose we don’t find him ? ” 


134 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


“ Then we shall go alone.” 

While these words were passing between the two, 
they were pressing forward, hopeful and in high spirits 
over the prospects before them. 

As yet they had seen nothing of man or animal, and 
had little expectation of meeting with any adventure 
for several days to come. 

Alfredo took some provisions with them, for, al- 
though in this tropical country, and at this season of the 
year, he was quite confident of finding abundance of 
vegetation and fruit, he was desirous of being prepared 
for all emergencies. 

At noon they halted under some luxuriant trees, 
which afforded such a grateful shade from the fervid 
rays of the sun that they concluded to remain where 
they were until the orb was lower in the sky, and the 
task of traveling should become less laborious. 

Several hours later they rose to their feet and moved 
forward, the ground becoming more undulating and 
with a deeper growth of forest as their distance from 
the coast increased. 

They suffered considerably from thirst, as they were 
unable to find a drop of water, in spite of the diligent 
search made by Alfredo until toward night, when to 
their delight they came upon a small stream which 
tumbled and fell foaming from among the rocks, with 
a current as clear and cool as if it issued from the 
mountains above and beyond them. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


135 


‘‘ Here we will make our first camp,” said the gen- 
tleman, as he threw down his little bundle and gun, 
and began gathering fuel with which to start a fire. 

“We couldn't have a better place,” said Jack, who 
was glad that the day's journey had come to an end. 
“ It seems to me that I was never so tired in all my 
life.” 

“ That's because you haven’t become used to this 
sort of traveling; after a few days you won't mind it 
at all. Hello ! we have a visitor.” 

The last remark was caused by the parting of the 
bushes near them, and the approach of a man, who 
was a stranger to both. 


CHAPTER XV 


VEGA^ THE GUIDE 

The appearance of a stranger in this great solitude 
could not but cause Alfredo and little Jack to feel the 
greatest interest in his identity. 

That he was a native of the neighborhood was per- 
ceived at a glance. He was tall, and of very powerful 
build, his naturally swarthy face made darker and more 
swarthy by years of exposure to the tropical sun and 
the fierce storms that sometimes sweep over those sec- 
tions. His hair was as black as midnight, and hung 
over his shoulders in neglected masses, while a scanty 
beard of the same hue appeared in the shape of a 
scrawny mustache and straggling tuft upon his chin. 

His eyes were large and of piercing blackness, and 
his costume was scanty, even for those warm regions. 
He was dressed very much like the Indians of the 
United States, wearing the breech cloth, and the heavy 
blanket sometimes upon the shoulders, sometimes upon 
the arm, as convenience demanded. In the girdle about 
his waist was thrust a formidable knife, and it is hardly 
necessary to say that he carried a large rifle, in the use 
of which it was too safe to suppose he was an ex- 
pert. 


136 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 137 

The very moment that Alfredo saw this man, ad- 
vancing from among the bushes with his slouched hat 
drawn close to his gleaming eyes, the thought occurred 
to him that he was the individual he wanted. The 
outer conditions impressed him favorably, and if he 
could be secured, was he the one with whom they could 
safely trust their lives was the queston which the fu- 
ture must settle. 

The native did not seem to hold the invaders of his 
country in very great awe, for, with his penetrating 
eyes fixed upon them he moved unhesitatingly along 
in the direction of the fuel thrown together for their 
evening camp-fire. 

Alfredo was as prompt to advance toward him, and 
to offer him his hand, saluting him at the same time 
in Spanish. The stranger replied in the same pleasant, 
flowing tongue, though there was a broken and imper- 
fect accent, which proved that the language used here 
among the mountains was quite different from that 
which obtains among the cultivated classes in the set- 
tled portions of Mexico. The native was more intelli- 
gent than most of these half-civilized beings, else he 
would have experienced more difficulty in understand- 
ing the words addressed to him. 

Following close upon the formal salutation, came 
the inquiry from the swarthy native as to what the 
business of the man and boy was in this section of the 


138 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

world. Alfredo answered him truthfully, but the na- 
tive appeared to be somewhat suspicious of the visitors, 
and he subjected the man to a cross examination which 
was enjoyed not a little by the victim. At last, how- 
ever, the situation seemed to become satisfactory, and 
he signified as much. 

It then became the turn of Alfredo to ask questions 
and he put them so searchingly and withal so deli- 
cately that he was not long in extracting all the in- 
formation he desired. 

The name of the native was Vega, and he resided 
in a small village some ten miles to the west, and alto- 
gether out of the path of the explorers on their way to 
Vera Cruz. When asked whether he was acquainted 
with the route to that city through the mountains, he 
smiled as if in pity of the ignorance of his questioners, 
and said that he had traveled and known it from his 
childhood. 

Replying to the query that followed, as to his will- 
ingness to act as their guide and companion, he was 
not so certain. It would be necessary to visit his family 
and consult with them, and besides, he had a great deal 
of “ business ” on hand, and he did not think he could 
serve them ; it would be well for them to hunt some one 
else. 

Alfredo understood what all this meant, and he han- 
dled the subject like one who was accustorned to it. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


139 


The native was waiting to learn what terms the wealthy 
Mexican was ready to offer. 

The terms, it is hardly worth our while to say, were 
such that the black eyes of Vega sparkled with delight, 
and he closed in with them at once, declaring that he 
would stand by them until they should enter Vera Cruz 
and leave the great forest behind them. 

When Alfredo suggested that it was best that he 
should hurry off and acquaint his family with what 
he was about to do, he replied that that was unneces- 
sary, as they would not be alarmed at his absence, and 
they were well able to take care of themselves if he 
should remain away an entire month. Alfredo was in- 
clined to think it would have made very little difference 
if he had made his absence perpetual. 

There remained but one drawback to perfect satis- 
faction on the part of Alfredo, and that was a linger- 
ing fear that Vega was not what he represented himself 
to be. Mexico is a land of revolutions, and this man 
might be one of a gang of desperadoes who had been 
driven to the mountains to save their necks, and were 
now roving through the country ready to commit any 
deed that promised to add anything to the money they 
so much needed. 

The offer of Alfredo must have convinced Vega that 
it was bona Ude, and that the one who made it was the 
possessor of wealth, which enabled him to take such 


140 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


fanciful holidays as these. Such being the case, the 
chance of accompanying him into the mountains, where 
no human eye could witness the blow which he was 
certain to find opportunity to deal in the darkness of 
the night, was sure to be very tempting to one whose 
conscience had become seared by long years of danger 
and sin. 

Such was the shadowy terror that rose before Al- 
fredo as soon as he had made his agreement with the 
native; but the Mexican was a philosopher, who had 
acquired much worldly wisdom in his years of travel, 
and he reasoned that there was no bargain in this life 
in which there was not a certain mutual trust unavoida- 
ble. He considered himself quite a good judge of hu- 
man nature, and he felt considerable confidence in 
Vega; at least he would accept him without any ap- 
pearance of distrust, and he would manage during the 
next few days to keep such a close watch upon his ac- 
tions, that, if there was any treachery, he would be 
sure to detect it. 

By the time the talk was finished by the two men, 
the sun was well down toward the distant Pacific, 
which was visible from their elevated standpoint, and 
which, viewed in the last declining rays of day, looked 
like a sea of molten gold. Through the telescope they 
could catch sight of several sails in the distance looking 
like feathery clouds floating against the blue sky, while 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


141 

Others were but the faintest possible specks in the far 
away horizon. 

The wood was kindled, though its warmth was not 
needed, but as the darkness closed around them, there 
was something in the presence of the cheerful light of 
a camp-fire that was like the society of a strong and 
cheerful man. 

It was not yet fully dark when Vega, gun in hand, 
moved away as silently as a shadow in the depths of 
the wilderness. 

Where has he gone? ” asked Jack, who was natu- 
rally interested in the man that was to be a member of 
their little company for weeks to come. 

I wonder whether he hasn’t changed his mind and 
started for home ? ” 

“No; he would hardly do that without telling us 
his intention. He knows how to use his tongue so well 
that he would not have kept silent at such a time. Jack, 
what do you think of him ? ” 

“ Well, I hardly know, ’cause I hain’t had much 
chance to get acquainted yet.” 

“ Of course not ; but how do you feel toward him ? 
Do you think he will be a pleasant companion ? ” 

“ Of course I do, ’cause he must know all about the 
country, and you see. Uncle Frede, that’s a big part of 
the thing. I wonder if he hain’t gone off so as to climb 
a tree and look down on us without our knowing it, 


142 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


SO as to get a good chance to study us without our be- 
ing able to see him.’^ 

He don’t need to do that ; he took our measure as he 
came out from the forest and before we had spoken a 
word to him ; I am quite sure that he scrutinized us a 
good long while before he let us know he was any- 
where about. ” 

“ What do you think is the matter with him, then? ” 
I suspect he is after some kind of game to help us 
out with a rather scanty supper — there! that sounds 
like it.” 

This remark was caused by the sound of a gun, so 
near that there could be no doubt that it was fired by 
Vega, who had been gone but a few minutes. 

The supposition of Alfredo proved the correct one, 
for the native reappeared, a few minutes later, bear- 
ing in his hand an animal which looked like a plump 
squirrel. 

The guide dexterously removed the skin, and stretch- 
ing it on a couple of sticks before the fire, it was not 
long before it was nicely browned, and formed a wel- 
come addition to the dried maize cakes which Vega 
produced from a receptacle somewhere about his per- 
son, which are known in his country as totopo, and are 
peculiarly acceptable when eaten in the woods with the 
keen appetite awakened by a day of severe traveling. 

When the supper was finished, the three assumed 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


143 


comfortable positions before the camp-fire, and Vega 
lit a black pipe, from which he seemed to extract a 
great deal of enjoyment. 

As he appeared to be in good spirits, Alfredo en- 
gaged him in conversation, and extracted much inter- 
esting information of his past life. 

When Jack passed off into the land of dreams, the 
two were still talking, and when he awoke a moment 
from slumber they were still at it. 

The boy gained a snuff of the strong tobacco which 
the native was smoking, and turned his nose away so 
as to escape it, and went off to sleep again with a sort 
of dim, misty wonder whether the two would keep up 
the conversation till there was nothing more left in the 
world for them to talk about. 

The morning broke bright and beautiful, after a 
night unmarked by anything to disturb them, and 
Vega, after a few minutes’ search, succeeded in shoot- 
ing a couple more of the squirrels which were held in 
such high esteem by all as an article of diet. 

Jack, however, was not so sure that he enjoyed them, 
when, after eating his fill, his uncle kindly told him 
that they were not squirrels, but rather rats, or at least 
they belonged to that family. 

The animal is not classed by naturalists as yet, but 
there is little doubt that it is less of a squirrel than a 
rat. 


144 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Its coat is black on the back, gray on the flanks, and 
white under the belly, while the ears are bare. 

The hunter is glad enough to secure him for a meal 
without stopping to consider how he should be classified 
by the men of science. 

After a hearty draught from the cold, sparkling 
stream near the camp, the little party started again on 
their journey toward the northeast, Vega acting as 
their guide, and advancing with a confidence and cer- 
tainty which showed that he was at home in these 
wilds. 

There were many places where it seemed to the boy 
that it was impossible to advance any further, when 
the fellow, without the least hesitation, would turn 
aside into some unexpected and unseen path, made by 
himself or some wild animal, and the obstruction was 
circumvented in the easiest fashion imaginable. 

The scenery grew more interesting as they pro- 
gressed, and to the gratified surprise of Jack, the 
ground appeared to become more readily traveled, de- 
spite its undulating and frequently rocky nature. 

Various kinds of birds of gorgeous plumage were 
encountered, among which was the coviroucou, which 
gives forth a mournful cry that deepens one’s sense of 
loneliness when heard in the depths of the great wil- 
derness. 

The bird itself is very attractive in appearance, the 
male being especially beautiful. 


THROUGH JUNGLE 'AND WILDERNESS 


145 

Their beaks are of a bright yellow, hooked like those 
of birds of prey. 

The feathers on the head and back are sprinkled with 
a golden green, and the edges of the wings and belly 
are tinted with a fiery crimson, emerging into two 
black lines, which taper off toward the tail. 

This interesting bird is known as the trogon mas- 
sena, and they belong to the family of climbers, having 
two toes in front of their claws and two behind, similar 
to the parrot. 

The explorers were now fairly in the great forest 
which stretches away for many miles in the land of 
the ancient Aztecs, and the wonders increased as they 
advanced, while, sooner than they expected, they found 
that the most serious kind of peril was ever lurking in 
the depths of this vast wilderness. 


CHAPTER XVI 


IN THE SOLITUDES 

The little party of explorers found they were stead- 
ily ascending into the mountain region which is a part 
of the mighty system extending from Behring’s Strait, 
on the north, to Terra del Fuego, at the extremity of 
South America. 

There was a perceptible difference in the tempera- 
ture, and glimpses were gained of the country such as 
constantly provoked expressions of delight from Jack 
Winch, who was becoming rapidly accustomed to this 
climbing business, and showed a nimbleness at times 
which Vega compared to that of the monkeys them- 
selves. 

Uncle,” said he, as they were making their way 
along in this manner, ‘‘ you told me when we were on 
shore with father that we were going to make a jour- 
ney through the land of the Aztecs.” 

Well, and so we are, my boy.” 

Who are the Aztecs ? ” 

“ Rather, who were they, for properly they are now 
a people of the past, just as the American Indians will 
become in a few generations more. The Aztecs, when 
146 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


147 


first heard of, were a great American nation who were 
located in Aztlan, a country lying north of the Gulf of 
California, where they were a flourishing and powerful 
people seven hundred years ago. 

“ In the year 1196, as has been discovered by those 
who have delved into their history, they migrated to 
Tula, remaining there but a short time, when they 
went to Zumpanco, about twenty years after, and 
finally settled on a group of islands to the south of 
Lake Tescuco; they were reduced to slavery by the 
Colhuans in 1314, and moving to the west of the lake, 
founded Tenochtitlan, their capital, in 1325. This last 
named location was on the site of the present city of 
Mexico, which lies only a short distance to the north 
of our route, so that it is perfectly proper for me to say 
that we are journeying through the land of the Az- 
tecs.” 

What sort of people were they? ” 

“ Their history is one of the most interesting that I 
have ever studied. They were invaded by the Spanish 
under Cortez in 1519 and subjugated. It is the belief 
of the great German scholar Humboldt, who died nine 
years ago, that in the fifteenth century they had ac- 
quired by conquest over sixty thousand square miles 
of territory. They were among the most superstitious 
people of whom we have any knowledge, and wor- 
shiped any number of deities. They made great progress 


148 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

in architecture — that is, the manner of building beauti- 
ful houses and palaces — and they cultivated poetry and 
oratory, if you can understand what is meant by that. 
They used hieroglyphics — by which I mean signs — to 
write their history, which our scholars have been able 
to study and learn the meaning of. You remember the 
story that I told you the other day about Montezuma ? ” 
Oh, yes, very well.’' 

Well, then, what was the story? ” 

He reigned from 1502 until 1520; he had another 
queer name that I can’t remember.” 

‘‘ It was his surname of Xocojotzin, or ‘ the younger,’ 
and he was the ninth king of Mexico, was called Mon- 
tezuma II., elected to succeed his grandfather at the 
date you have named — 1502; and now what else can 
you tell me about him ? ” 

He was a great general, and when they made him 
king he was a high priest, and when he was crowned 
king he made his people kill a great many prisoners 
as a sacrifice, I think you said.” 

You are right; what else? ” 

‘‘ He sent away from his service all the poor humble 
folks, and wouldn’t have any persons about him but 
those that were of noble birth. He was at war all the 
time, and led such a wicked life that his health broke 
down, and he was almost scared to death by a comet 
that appeared in the sky after he had reigned ten 
years.” 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


149 


‘‘ That is right; but what was the year? 

“ Let me see,” replied Jack, as he began adding up 
on his fingers, “it must have been in, 1512, was it 
not?” 

“ Certainly; what became of Montezuma? ” 

“ One of his neighbors, a king, told him that the 
comet meant that he was going to have great trouble, 
and that a whole lot of folks were coming from some 
other country, and they were going to kill him, and 
Montezuma was such a big dunce that he was scared 
more than ever. His people got so they hated him, 
’cause he was so cruel to them, and, by-and-by, Cortez 
came along with his Spaniards ” 

“ What year was that ? ” 

“ 1519, and Montezuma was so scared again, that 
he shook all over and came near falling down on his 
head.” 

“ Very probably such was the fact, but I don’t think 
I told you that,” said Uncle Frede, with a smile. 

“ He had been scared so many times that I’m sure 
he must have trembled like everything when he found 
the Spanish soldiers were marching against him, and 
I know that I shake when I get scared very bad. So 
he went to meet Cortez and made him many presents 
of gold and brought him to the city, and Cortez was 
so mean that he made him a prisoner and put irons on 
his legs. But Montezuma said he would be the slave of 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


ISO 

the Spanish king, and Cortez took the irons off and 
left him in charge of a man ” 

“ What was that general’s name? ” 

“ I can’t think of it now.” 

“ It was his General Alvarado — a very easy name 
to remember.” 

Well, they got to fighting in the city, and while 
Montezuma was standing on the walls, dressed up like 
a king, coaxing his people to give in to the Spanards, 
he was hit by an arrow that one of the Mexicans fired, 
and before the Spaniards could cover him with their 
shields, he got a whack from a stone that another Mexi> 
can threw, and he wouldn’t let them dress his wounds, 
and he wouldn’t eat anything, and so he died.” 

“ Well done! ” exclaimed the uncle, who with Vega 
had listened with great interest to the story of the lad ; 

you have that history very straight and without any 
error; I am sure when I take you North to the United 
States and put you to school, you will make your mark. 
Well, this unfortunate Montezuma that you have been 
telling me about is believed to have been the last of the 
Aztec kings. That will do for to-day’s lesson, and now 
if you will use your eyes you will see something worth 
looking at.” 

“ I know what you mean,” replied the bright-eyed 
boy; “ that great high mountain over yonder, with the 
smoke coming out of the top ; it must be a volcano,” 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


15 ^ 

Do you know its name? ” 

“ How should I know when I never saw or heard 
of it before? but hold on — let me think a minute.’^ 

The lad put in this proviso, because the guide Vega 
at that moment stepped forward as if he was about to 
pick something from the ground, but whispered in his 
ear so as to give him the clue. 

“ Of course, what was I thinking about? said Jack. 
“ You want me to tell you the name of the volcano ; 
it’s Popocatepetl.” 

Frede detected the little trick of their guide, and he 
was pleased, for he regarded it as a sign of friendship 
and interest in the boy, which he was glad to see. He 
feigned not to observe the action, and complimenting 
his nephew on his knowledge, he added a few words 
of information which to some extent was new to Vega 
himself. 

“ The volcanoes are a long ways off, and we shall 
have them in sight for many days yet, so you may as 
well learn all you can about that and its neighbors. 
Popocatepetl means ' smoking mountain,’ and is 17,720 
feet high. The first one who ascended that volcano 
was Dias Ordas, one of the officers of Cortez. Orizava, 
or Citlatepetl, meaning ' the mountain of the star,’ is 
about five hundred feet less in height. If we approach 
nigh enough, you will see a magnificent forest around 
its base, with the pines growing further and further 


152 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


apart as you ascend until they disappear altogether. 
Above them are the glaciers forever gleaming in the 
sun, and finally the snow surrounding the crater, at so 
great a height that it never melts.” 

Has anybody ever climbed to the top of it? ” 

Hundreds of people; I went up with a party two 
years ago.” 

I have been up many times,” added Vega, the 
guide. Can you tell me who was the first man that 
made the ascent? ” 

It was Monsieur Doignon, a Frenchman, who 
climbed to the top in 1847,” Frede, whose mind 
was well stored with the most interesting facts regard- 
ing not only the country through which they were trav- 
eling, but relating to almost all sections of the globe. 

When he found that Vega was as desirous of hear- 
ing what he had to tell about the different parts of the 
earth, it was natural that the gentleman should improve 
every suitable occasion to add to their store of knowl- 
edge, and the conversation frequently became so ab- 
sorbing that the guide forgot for the time the duties of 
his position, and stumbled and lost his way in a fashion 
that caused Jack endless amusement. 

At the end of the three days' service, when they were 
far beyond sight of the great ocean, which they had 
left behind them, Alfredo had dismissed all traces of 
the distrust which troubled him at first regarding this 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


153 


man, and henceforth the journey was made in full con- 
fidence of the guide, who was destined on so many oc- 
casions to have the safety of the other two in his hands. 

On the afternoon of the fourth day, as they were 
making their way from the upper regions into the 
warmer climate of the lower level, the sun, which had 
been shining so uninterruptedly ever since they had 
left the coast, became obscured, and the wind, that had 
been blowing gently all the afternoon, became more 
violent, occasionally rising into gusts that resembled 
the squalls frequently encountered on the ocean. 

I am afraid we are going to have trouble,” re- 
marked Alfredo, looking up at the darkening sky. 

Why? ” asked Jack. 

There is a storm coming.” 

What of that ? Who’s afraid ? ” 

I am ; and so will you be when you are caught in 
it ; you have seen some lively tempests down in 
Panama, but you were always able to get into some se- 
cure shelter where you were safe, but you won’t be so 
well off here.” 

There are plenty of trees and rocks, and I should 
think that Vega can find some place where we can get 
out of the wet.” 

“ If we had nothing to fear but the wet I should be 
very comfortable, but then there is no use of meeting 
trouble half-way; no one can do more than Vega, and 


154 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


he is sure to do all in his power. He has stopped ask- 
ing me questions about the great desert and is attend- 
ing strictly to business.’’ 

The party were now picking their way through a 
dense forest, where their guide was compelled to make 
frequent detours to avoid being stopped altogether. 

There was no path, and Vega was relying mainly 
upon his woodcraft — which long years of practice and 
experience had educated up to an extraordinary de- 
gree of perfection. 

So long as they were favored with the light of the 
sun, its position in the heavens could be used as a sort 
of compass while pressing their way through the track- 
less wilderness ; but the sky was now so overcast, that 
the keenest eye was unable to locate the orb, and this, 
with the constant turnings to which the guide was 
forced, made the task of keeping his reckoning all the 
more difficult. 

There was a storm coming and no mistake. 

Vega, -when questioned, replied that it would soon 
be along, and he was doing his utmost to reach a cer- 
tain shelter, which he had in mind, with the prospect 
that he would fail altogether to accomplish the feat. 

The trees about them swayed in the gale, which was 
constantly increasing, and the roar was like the boom- 
ing of the surf upon the shore. 

The followers of Vega noticed that he often stopped 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


155 


and listened, as if there was some sound which he was 
expecting, and which he dreaded to hear. 

This was done several times, when all at once the 
three came to a sudden pause from a rumble of ap- 
palling depth, sounding as if an avalanche was sweep- 
ing down from the mountains upon their heads. 

The large, lustrous eyes of the guide took on an ex- 
pression of terror, and pausing but a second, he leaped 
backward, caught up the lad in his arms as though he 
were but an infant, and shouted in a hoarse voice to 
Alfredo : 

'' Back ! back ! for your life I Don’t wait or you are 


CHAPTER XVII 


A TERRIBLE DANGER 

The appearance and manner of the guide Vega when 
he turned around so suddenly, and, catching up little 
Jack, called out to his master to run for his life, be- 
tokened that the brave man, for once in his life, was 
filled with the most terrifying emotions. 

Alfredo had been in too many situations of the grav- 
est danger not to know the value of time in such cases ; 
and, without pausing to ask the cause of this sudden 
alarm, he sprang backward and ran with all the speed 
at his command. 

At the time of this fright, the party were making their 
way through a sort of narrow valley, where the descent 
was gradual, from the mountainous region in which 
they had been traveling for the last two days. 

The action of the guide showed that he was in dread 
of something of an alarming character, but, until the 
moment he heard it coming, he held strong hopes that 
he would be able to reach some point for which he was 
striving, and where they all would be safe from harm. 

Well-nigh he succeeded, but nevertheless failure had 
come, and his desperate hope was that he might retreat 
156 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


157 


far enough to escape the appalling foe that was coming 
after them with the speed of a race-horse. 

The roar was terrific, awakening such fear in the 
mind of the listener as came with the rush and rage of 
the body of water which swept from Mill River on that 
beautiful day when so many saw the sun rise for the 
last time. 

The sky was filled with black, flying clouds, some 
of inky blackness, around and among which the crim- 
son lightning quivered and darted like fiery serpents. 
The thunder was continuous, but not accompanied by 
those ear-splitting detonations which frequently mark 
a storm in the tropics. It was rather a constant rum- 
ble and booming, such as suggested the rolling of char- 
iot-wheels over the courts of heaven. The wind was 
strong, but not particularly violent. There was a sway- 
ing of trees, and. some of the branches and limbs of 
large size went skurrying by over the heads of the 
fleeing fugitives. 

It was evident that the tremendous rush and roar 
was not caused by the agencies named. There was 
something more — something to be held in greater fear 
than any and all to which we have referred. 

Little Jack was borne in the arms of the swarthy, 
muscular native, whose progress was no more impeded 
thereby than if he were but the tiniest sort of infant. 

Jack’s position was such that as he was carried along 


158 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

in this fashion, his face was turned so that he looked 
backward and saw the track over which they were hur- 
rying in such haste and fear. 

The boy marked the wreck and ruin of vegetation 
which followed, and indeed surrounded, them, but he 
was not specially alarmed, and was on the point of in- 
sisting that Vega should let him get down and run 
along with them, when the gloom behind them was il- 
luminated by a more vivid flash than had been seen 
heretofore, and through the swaying limbs and flying 
vegetation he saw something gleam like the reflection 
of the moonlight from the surface of a frozen stream. 

He was puzzled and at a loss to understand what it 
meant, and, without speaking, he kept his face turned 
in that direction, in the hope of solving the problem 
so soon as the next flash should come. 

It came a minute later, and the conditions were so fa- 
vorable that the mystery was made clear on the instant. 
Indeed, the sense of feeling would have told him the 
truth, even if he were deprived of the use of his eyes. 

While Vega was making his way through the ravine 
in desperate haste to reach a place of safety, he was 
apprised that a torrent of water was ahead of him, and 
was rushing up the valley to meet him. 

The ravine, as is often the case among the mountains 
of all countries, served as a sort of reservoir, into which 
a hundred streams poured with such impetuosity that 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


159 


the main channel was swelled to irresistible proportions 
in an instant, as it may be said. Such was the foe 
which sprang up like a tiger in the path of the daring 
guide, compelling him to turn about and run for his 
life. 

When Jack Winch caught sight of this muddy, tur- 
bulent torrent, it was at the very heels of his friend, and 
rushing forward with such speed as far to exceed the 
fleetness of the runner. 

'' Oh, Vega ! ’’ called out the terrified lad, “ there’s 
a river chasing us ! What shall we do ? ” 

The native made no answer, except to continue his 
tremendous exertions, which it would seem ought to 
have carried him beyond the reach of all harm, and 
which had already brought him close to the heels of 
Alfredo, who was no laggard in his movements. 

The ground was so ascending that the flight of the 
two men was of the most exhausting character, but 
at the same time, it would seem that that very fact 
ought to have operated in their favor, in the way of 
lifting them beyond the reach of the angry flood. 

There was no rain falling immediately around the 
fugitives, nor had there been any during the day, so 
that there was reason to hope that this fierce overflow 
would speedily spend itself. 

But Jack had scarcely uttered his cry, when the 
water made a surge forward, and, the next instant, was 


i6o THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

around the sinewy legs of the iron-limbed native, who 
labored forward with heroic resolve. 

‘‘ Don’t stop! ” he called out to Alfredo, fearful that 
the man would give up in despair so soon as he should 
feel the cold clasp of the waters about his limbs — 
“ don’t stop I we have only a short ways further to go 1 ” 

Alfredo had no intention of giving up, as he showed 
by the “ spurt,” in which he threw all his power and 
energy. 

“ Hold fast to the boy I ” he shouted back, his words 
sounding faint and far away, although no more than 
a dozen feet separated the two men. 

No fear of the swarthy native loosing his hold of the 
lad; for, with that peculiarity often shown in that di- 
rection by those of his class, he had already formed the 
strongest kind of affection for the boy, and was ready 
to imperil his life for him at any time. 

As he heard the cry of the alarmed uncle, the native 
reached one arm back and closed it around the legs of 
the youth, so as to prevent his losing his anchorage in 
the dreadful uproar in which they were almost immedi- 
ately involved. 

Jack was peering into the gloom, which was now 
almost like that of night itself, on the watch for the 
next glimpse of the flood, when something struck him 
in the face, nearly taking away his breath. 

It was the water tossed by some obstruction, which 
threw it clean over the head of the brave Vega. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS i6i 

Before the lad could fairly comprehend what it 
meant, he observed that the native was half swimming 
and plunging through the current, which, part of the 
time, was over his head, and again reached to his waist. 

The torrent was borne forward like the stream which 
bursts from the mountain-side, throwing the guide on 
his hands and knees with a force that was perfectly re- 
sistless, and by which the veteran only sought to direct 
his course so far as possible. 

The great and imminent peril was that of having his 
brains dashed out against some of the obstructions 
which were all about him. 

There were trees and rocks interposed at all angles, 
and he was sent tumbling and pitching over them with 
a fury which threatened to kill both him and his charge, 
with the suddenness of the lightning stroke. 

The confusion was already such that he and Alfredo 
had lost sight of each other, and were powerless to 
render any mutual assistance. 

All that the guide strove to do was to save his own 
life and that of the boy, who was clinging to his back 
with the despairing grasp of a drowning man. 

Jack had dropped his rifle, feeling that he could ask 
nothing more than the life of himself and his friends. 

He was a remarkably good swimmer, but he knew 
there was no help for him except by clinging to his 
guide, which he did, praying to Heaven not to desert 
him in his great peril. 


i 62 through jungle AND WILDERNESS 

They were very nearly at the end of the ravine, and 
with a good prospect of escape from the peril, when 
the native was struck by an uprooted tree and stunned 
for the moment. 

It was only for a moment, indeed, as by a powerful 
effort he regained command of himself, and renewed 
his struggle with his appalling foe of the darkness. 

At the instant he regained his full senses he seemed 
to be enveloped by a sea of ice, which threatened to 
crush the life out of him. 

And the reason was because he missed the burden 
from his back ! 

Jack Winch was gone! swept away by the same 
shock that had stunned Vega himself for the instant. 

The powerful-limbed hunter reached up, and grasp- 
ing an overhanging limb, he held on with the grip of 
a vise and swung himself clear above the current raging 
beneath. 

The ascending valley had finally risen above the top 
of the mountain torrent, so that its violent progress 
was stopped altogether, and those who had saved them- 
selves up to* this point need feel no further fear, for the 
danger was ended. 

How bitter the thought, therefore, that at the very 
last minute of danger, when, as may be said, they were 
crossing the very threshold of safety, this cruel blow 
should come and rob him of the boy ! 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNES 


163 


As soon as Vega had gained a sustaining grip, he 
turned his head and peered back in the gloom, in the 
hope of catching sight of the struggling form of the 
lad. Had he been able to do so, he would have plunged 
in after him, no matter what opposed. 

But he saw nothing of the loved form, nothing but 
twisting trees, and limbs and branches, which seemed 
to throw up their arms like human beings in torture, 
while the water dashed and recoiled again from the 
rise of land, as if angered that it should be balked of its 
prey at the moment it was within its grasp. 

One quick, penetrating glance told the native that 
the boy was not within sight, and he called out in a 
voice that rung like a trumpet above the roar of the 
tempest : 

''Jack! Jack! where are you? Answer me, and I 
will come to you ! Keep up a stout heart and you shall 
be saved!” 

Vega spoke with a broken accent, but the lad would 
have recognized his words had they reached his ears, 
as Vega himself well knew, and he listened with afl 
eager anxiety which can hardly be imagined. 

But the strained ear was unable to catch any sound 
save that of the tempest, which had raged so long that 
it seemed like silence itself, and through which the 
clear musical voice of the youth would have pierced 
like the notes of the cremona from among the crash 
and blare of a hundred inferior instruments. 


i 64 through jungle AND WILDERNESS 

The tempest alone gave answer, and once more the 
hunter called out with a power that was amazing. 

Rising as it did above the din and roar of the tem- 
pest, it would have suggested to the hearer that the 
Storm King himself was abroad on this night, and 
awakening the echoes among the mountains and rocks 
around. 

But the second call produced not the response de- 
sired, and then Vega was silent, for he knew it was 
useless to call any more; but, as despair was settling 
over his heart, an answer came — one he was glad to 
hear, though it was not that for which he yearned. 

It was the voice of Alfredo, but a short distance 
above him. 

He had succeeded in reaching a safe perch, and was 
looking back for his friends, scarcely doubting their 
safety, when the sound of Vega’s voice fell upon his 
ear. 

When the call was repeated, an unspeakable dread 
filled the heart of the man, and he shouted back to the 
guide. 

'' What is amiss, good Vega? What ill has befallen 
Jack!” 

“ He has gone, the saints only know where ! Oh, 
woe is me if he is not found ! ” 

The native was continuing his lamentation, when 
Alfredo, who had caught the situation from the few 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 165 

words uttered, dropped down from his perch, and 
caught upon that of the guide. 

“ Tell me what you mean,” he said catching his arm 
and peering through the gloom in the dusky face of his 
friend; “ where is the boy? ” 

“ You know how the waters and the flood came; he 
was on my back, holding like the brave fellow he is, 
and I was almost to a place of safety, where we could 
have laughed at the raging torrent, when a tree, sent 
by Satan himself, struck my head, and my senses were 
gone for the instant. When they came back to me the 
lad had vanished, and I am afraid we shall never look 
upon the noble face again. Ah! woe is me! I shall 
die!” 


CHAPTER XVIII 


THE SEARCH 

The grief of the guide Vega over the loss of the boy 
Jack Winch was so unfeigned and demonstrative that it 
unfitted him entirely for anything looking toward a 
vigorous rescue of the boy. 

Desperate as was the hope, Alfredo, the uncle, was 
not in complete despair. 

He was not prepared to yield up the little fellow un- 
til there was no doubt that he had gone down in the 
rush and swirl of water which played with the two men 
like a cat with mice, until a kind Providence extricated 
them from its power. 

If little Jack was really swallowed up by that fierce 
and mysterious mountain-torrent — but he determined 
he would not think of the awful probability until it 
should become a certainty. 

“ Come, Vega, rouse yourself! Be a man! called 
out Alfredo, shaking him violently by the arm. “ I 
have hope that the boy has managed to save himself, 
and you will let him perish while you are bemoan- 
ing his fate and doing nothing to avert it.’’ 

This call had the effect of rousing the native, and 

i66 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 167 

he ceased his lamentations on the instant, and by a 
curious anomaly of this human nature of ours, he be- 
came for a few seconds the dependent and servant, in- 
ferior to the man whom he had set out to guide through 
the great stretch of mountain and wilderness. 

What can we do ? ’’ he asked, in the tone of a slave 
at the feet of his master. 

“We can try and find him ; he may have seized some 
of these branches that are floating all around him.” 

“ He ought to have heard my voice when I called so 
loud to him.” 

“ And it may have reached his ears, too much filled 
with water, and too much deafened by terror to take 
heed of the call. The torrent which has followed us 
so savagely this far has stopped and turned back, find- 
ing we have escaped. Perhaps it carried him with it. 
Then, too, by the flashes of lightning, I observe that 
it turns aside into a dozen different channels, into any 
one of which he may have been borne to some secure 
spot, where he will await the coming of morning and 
of Vega, who should be a man and not a boy.” 

This pointed speech produced a remarkable effect 
upon the mountaineer, who instantly aroused himself 
from his moral collapse and became himself again. 

“ There is some truth in what you say,” remarked 
the guide, as his mind regained its wonted tone ; “ but 
the chances are against the escape of the lad; when I 


i68 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

had all that I could do to save myself, it is not reasona- 
ble to think that a boy could do better/' 

“Not if the conditions were the same; indeed, if 
you and he were called upon to encounter the same 
peril, of course he would go under, but this frightful 
danger in which we were caught was not governed 
by law, else I would have succumbed too. The col- 
lision which separated you and him may not have in- 
jured him in the least, and it is not impossible that he 
got out of the reach of the torrent with greater ease 
than did you or I; but, Vega, I know how the chances 
point the other way. There is a terrible fear at my 
heart, which I can only partially subdue by work; let 
us, therefore, do anything rather than stand here with 
hands folded.” 

The conditions were unfavorable for anything like 
a thorough search. 

Night had just settled over the wilderness, and the 
darkness was impenetrable, excepting when lit up by 
the playing lightning. 

The latter was steadily decreasing, and was likely 
to cease altogether in a short time. 

The water was everywhere, in gullies, holes and 
hollows, where it lay cold and still, waiting, like some 
foe in ambush, for its victims to come along and drop 
into its embrace. 

The neighborhood, from the necessity of the case. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 169 

must be totally unfamiliar to the guide so long as he 
was deprived of the light of the sun, which would ena- 
ble him to locate leading landmarks. 

It would be impossible for the most skillful moun- 
taineer to make himself so well acquainted with such 
a vast country that he could identify himself at night 
in any part of it. 

The situation was one in which the eyes were of 
little or no service to any one. 

Neither of the two, in fact, expected to accomplish 
anything with their unaided vision until the sun should 
rise to assist in the search. At intervals the resonant 
voice of Vega rang through the stillness of the woods, 
and again and again the despairing and yet hopeful 
hunters paused and listened, in the belief that possibly 
there would come to them a reply from the depths of 
the wilderness. 

When nothing but the rush and roar of the tempest 
and torrent were sent back to them, the terrible prob- 
ability forced itself upon the desperate Alfredo, who re- 
called the picture of that happy mother in the home by 
the Pacific, waiting f9r the return of her rosy-cheeked 
boy, who had left her in such bounding spirits ; and he 
saw, too, the grizzled old sea-captain, whose love for 
the lad was greater than for his own life, as he awaited 
the return of the one to whom he had intrusted the little 
fellow ; but, when he had reached this point in the dark 


170 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


imaginings, he drew his mind away by an almost super- 
human effort, and vowed that the boy was not dead, 
and he would find him and take him to his home, alive 
and well. 

It would be hardly worth our while to dwell upon 
the search, which was continued without intermission 
through the entire night, the guide using his powerful 
voice with unfailing strength, but there came back 
nothing bearing the slightest resemblance to a reply 
from the lost one. 

It would have required no very experienced judge 
of human nature to see that the native had given over 
all hope of finding him alive, although, seeing the des- 
peration of his relative, he avoided making known his 
belief. 

Long before midnight the rumbling thunder became 
quiet and the lightning was seen no more, so that the 
darkness was unrelieved by the glimmer of a star. 
The water that had risen to such a great height fell as 
rapidly, and they found themselves treading, or rather 
picking their way over ground where the torrent was a 
dozen feet in depth but a short time before. 

At last the gray light of morning began stealing 
through the wilderness, and the men were on the alert, 
ready to seize the first chance to prosecute the hunt with 
more of system than heretofore. 

The first thing necessary,’’ said Alfredo, is to find 
the place where you first missed Jack.” 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


171 

Here it is/’ 

They were standing within a dozen feet of the tree 
to which the guide leaped and sustained himself, imme- 
diately after missing the lad from his back. 

'' Now, if we follow the valley downward from 
here,” added the relative, “ we shall certainly find the 
boy, or some trace of him.” 

“You speak the truth ; it can be at no great distance 
that he slipped from my back, and I think he will be 
found not far off.” 

It was a question with Alfredo, and which he found 
it hard to decide, whether the failure to discover the 
boy would be a favorable or unfavorable indication. 

It would seem at first thought that the disappearance 
of the lad would give color to the hope that his dead 
body had been washed into some recess or unsuspected 
place, where it was likely to remain until the great day 
when all shall be awakened at the sound of the last 
trump. 

But, as the uncle turned the matter over in his mind, 
he came to believe that such an issue was as likely to 
point to the possibility that , he had succeeded in making 
a landing in the darkness and had wandered off beyond 
call. 

Distracted, hopeful and despairing by turns, Alfredo 
pushed forward, occasionally separating some distance 
from Vega, who moved along with the stealth and cau- 
tion of an American Indian on the trail of a foe. 


172 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Some two hundred yards down the valley, the guide 
suddenly halted and looked back and waited for his 
employer to join him. 

There is no use in going further,” said the leader, 
as Alfredo came up. 

“ Why not? ” 

He was on my back, holding fast, like a good fel- 
low, when I went by this point.” 

“ Can you be sure of that, when it was all so dark 
around you ? ” 

‘‘ There were flashes of lightning that showed me 
where I was, and I remember the turn in the valley 
here.” 

“ In that case it would seem that it is useless to go 
on,” said Alfredo, with a desperate effort to conceal 
the despair that was again gnawing at his heart ; but 
there was a reflux of the current, which may have 
floated him back some distance beyond.” 

The guide shook his head, but replied, as if he was 
desirous of seizing any hope, no matter how slender: 

The thing is not impossible, and we will look fur- 
ther.” 

He must be somewhere,^' continued the relative, 
“ and as it is pretty clear that he is not where we have 
already searched, why, we have nothing to do but to 
look elsewhere.” 

To both was presented the picture of the dead body 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


173 


of the lad, although each sedulously avoided all refer- 
ence to the dreadful theme. 

Alfredo lingered behind, for somehow or other the 
presentiment was strong upon him that they were close 
to the discovery of the truth, which it seemed could 
have but the one issue — that of the lifeless form of the 
noble lad who but a short time before was the embodi- 
ment of bounding health and spirits — full of the most 
buoyant anticipations of sport and enjoyment in the 
journey to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. 

The saddened man lingered still further behind, feel- 
ing that he was not equal to the task of gazing upon 
the cold and lifeless form of the darling child. 

'' I can go no further till the whole awful truth shall 
become known, and that must be by him.” 

He paused and sat down upon a fallen tree, and con- 
tented himself with watching the figure of the guide 
as he moved down the valley, walking slowly and using 
his eyes like one who was accustomed to depend upon 
them alone in an emergency such as the present. 

Alfredo saw him take a step or two and then pause, 
and after scrutinizing the ground immediately in his 
front, look carefully each side, so as to be sure that 
nothing should escape him. 

When he had taken in all that was in his field of 
vision, he would advance another half-dozen steps and 
repeat the same course of action. 


174 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


When this had been done several times, the watcher 
noticed that he gave such a sudden start that he was 
sure he had discovered something for which he was 
searching. 

The guide not only stopped, but he stooped down as 
if to pick up an object on the ground before him. 

Surely the hunt was rewarded. 

He had found that for which he was searching, and 
which he wished not to find. 

All at once Vega looked around, rising to the stand- 
ing posture again. 

He was now in quest of his master. 

“ He has found him ! he has found him ! repeated 
Alfredo, his heart seeming to stand still ; and then, with 
a courage which surprised even himself, he sprang up 
and started on a run to his friend, feeling that he was 
able to bear anything after what he had suffered 
through the night. 

“ He is dead! I know it, Vega! ” he exclaimed, as 
he came running to where the guide was awaiting him. 

What are you talking about demanded his sur- 
prised companion. “It is not Jack.” 

“ God be thanked ! ” was the devout prayer of the 
man, who could scarcely keep himself from falling to 
the earth. “ He may still be alive.” 

Vega had found something, indeed, but it was only 
the rifle of the lad, which, it will be recalled, had slipped 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


1 75 

from his back while he was clinging to his trusty 
friend. 

The uncle took the weapon from the hand of the na- 
tive with something of the tenderness with which he 
would have received a token from the dead. 

The guide explained how the gun came to be there, 
and, with a strange revival of hope, they continued 
their search, this time turning back on their own steps, 
but moving off to one side, so as to examine new 
ground. 

They had not gone a dozen steps, when Vega gave 
utterance to an exclamation of delight, and threw his 
hat up in the air with childish demonstrations of happi- 
ness. 

^* See there! see there he fairly shouted. The 
boy is alive! 

There, on the ground before them, as plain as if 
carved by the hand of an artist, were seen the foot- 
prints which it was self-evident were made by the shoes 
of little Jack Winch! 


CHAPTER XIX 


A HAPPY MEETING 

Alfredo, the uncle of Jack Winch, was not an ex- 
citable man, but when he looked down and saw im- 
printed in the soft, damp earth the contour of the small 
shoes of the boy, his joy ran away with him. 

And indeed it might well do so, for it was proof that, 
through the wonderful providence of God, Jack had 
escaped death from the flood, and was probably within 
a short distance of them that very minute ! 

As soon as the guide was through his boisterous dem- 
onstrations, he turned about and caught the hand of 
his employer, and the tears of joy ran down the cheeks 
of both. 

The bound from despair to hope was so sudden and 
complete, that it did not occur to either of the friends 
that the lad might still be in peril, and indeed it was 
not at all improbable that he had succumbed after his 
deliverance from the flood. 

It was enough for them to know that he was not 
drowned, and that the torrent which had used them so 
roughly was not able to crush out the life of the noble 
young lad. 


176 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 177 

It was several minutes before the men were able to 
gain the mastery of their emotions sufficiently to con- 
verse like sensible human beings, but at last Alfredo 
said : 

“ God is good, and He has not forgotten Jack; those 
are his footprints, and they were made since the out- 
flow of the water, so that it is certain he has escaped 
death from that cause. I notice that they lead off to 
the left, and I wonder that he has not heard and an- 
swered your call, repeated times without number.” 

“ I will try it again,” said the guide, whereupon he 
sent his magnificent voice echoing through the aisles 
of the forest, with a power apparently sufficient to 
raise the dead. 

As before, there was no response, and despite the joy 
which pervaded the hearts of both a few minutes be- 
fore, a most distressing fear began making itself mani- 
fest. 

“ I can follow that trail to the end,” said Vega, tak- 
ing the most direct manner of solving the problem, 
“ and we will soon find him, for he cannot have gone 
far by this time.” 

After leaving the soft earth in the valley, and reach- 
ing the higher ground, the footprints became invisible 
to Alfredo, who feared that the guide would also find 
himself at fault; but the fellow was accustomed to that 
sort of business, and although he slowed his gait, yet 


178 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

he walked with the unerring certainty of a Sioux In- 
dian when on the trail of his foe. 

The pursuer spoke only now and then, but he gave 
it as his belief that the tracks, when first discovered, 
showed that the boy had landed by some means or 
other on the margin of the ravine, and then, as soon 
as it was safe for him to do so, had walked across and 
entered the wood on the opposite side. 

This, from the nature of the case, must have taken 
place within the short time, and Jack, whatever might 
have happened, certainly was not very far off. 

The best of fortune awaited the two, who were press- 
ing forward with such high hope, not without its mix- 
ture of fear. 

It was less than two hundred yards from the ravine 
that Vega paused, and looking over his shoulder, beck- 
oned to Alfredo to come to his side, a command which 
was obeyed without a moment’s hesitation. 

“Do you know him?” asked the delighted moun- 
taineer, pointing to the figure of little Jack Winch, as 
he was stretched out upon the ground beneath a huge 
tree, sound asleep. 

“ I think I have heard of the young gentleman be- 
fore,” replied the no less delighted uncle ; “ shall I 
awake him ? ” 

“No, he needs sleep, and so do we; we will rest 
under the same tree, and then after that we shall feel 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


T79 


more like going on than we did before, and moreover, 
it is breakfast-time, and there can be no better place 
than this to take it” 

While talking in guarded undertones, they had ap- 
proached until they stood one on either side of the 
sleeping lad, whose round, rosy face showed not the 
least ill effects from his terrible bath and struggle in 
the rushing torrent. 

It was hard for Uncle Frede to resist the temptation 
to stoop over and wake the lad and press him to his 
breast, but seeing that he was likely to gain more rather 
than lose from this rest, he acted upon the advice of 
Vega and left him undisturbed. 

I will procure something for food,” added the 
guide, as he shouldered his rifle and disappeared in the 
woods. 

Alfredo turned again to look at the beloved features 
of the unconscious lad, when he recoiled with a sudden 
exclamation of alarm. 

Not more than a yard from where Jack was curled 
up and asleep, just as if lying in his own bed at home, 
was a slight excavation of the ground, in which Al- 
fredo perceived something stir, and at the same moment 
detected the metallic glitter of some reptile. 

His instinct, as may be said, told him that it meant 
danger, and had to take only a step closer when he saw 
that at the bottom of the cavity was coiled what is 
called a coral serpent. 


i8o THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

Like all such reptiles in tropical countries, it was 
very venomous, and its bite was to be avoided with as 
much care as that of the cobra or the rattlesnake. It 
seemed to be restless and disturbed, as if angered at the 
proximity of the lad whom it was making ready to at- 
tack, when the appearance of a new-comer drew its at- 
tention toward him. 

Alfredo did not stand on ceremony, but catching up 
a stick which lay near, he dealt the serpent a blow 
which wounded it unto death. 

The reptile roused itself like lightning, and attempted 
to stand upon one end, while its jaws were extended 
and the tongue darted in and out in a way that showed 
how eager it was to inflict its poisonous bite. A second 
blow, however, finished him, and after some whipping 
and threshing it became still and dead. 

The traveler had seen these curious reptiles before, 
but their peculiar appearance always interested him, 
and drawing forth the serpent with the stick which 
had killed it, he flung it some distance away from the 
lad, and then examined it with the same curiosity which 
he felt when he met it for the first time. 

The specimen which lay before him was nearly a 
yard in length, with a skin of deep crimson, regularly 
encircled by rings of jetty blackness. The flesh of the 
serpent is a favorite with the Indians of the tropics, 
but Alfredo shared the prejudice which seems natural 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS i8i 

to the seed of the woman,” and through fear that 
Vega might want to utilize the present specimen, it was 
flung far away and beyond reach. 

This was scarcely done, when, as the man turned 
about to seat himself on the ground near the boy, the 
latter raised up, wide awake as ever, and looking 
straight at his relative : 

“ How are you. Uncle Frede? ” 

God be thanked ! ” exclaimed the man, as he im- 
pulsively pressed the boy to his heart, “ you were lost 
and you are found; you were dead and you are alive 
again.” 

‘‘ I don’t see how that is,” said Jack, disposed to take 
things literally. I didn’t know that I had been dead 
very lately.” 

“To us you were, and the gratitude of our hearts 
is the same; we have hunted all night, and this morn- 
ing, and when we were ready to give you up as dead, 
we came upon the tracks which told us you were alive, 
and not very far away. We followed your trail until 
we found you asleep under this tree. Vega has gone 
off to get something for breakfast, and while he is 
away I would like to hear how it was that you escaped 
death from the torrent, when all the chances seemed to 
be against you and it was such hard work for us ? ” 

“ I guess it was about the same with me as with you 
and Vega. It was God who took care of me when I 


i 82 through jungle AND WILDERNESS 

gave everything up and was sure that I should be killed. 
Oh, there’s my rifle! ” exclaimed Jack, catching sight 
of his gun leaning against the tree behind him. Where 
did that come from? ” he asked, springing to his feet 
and taking it in his hand. 

His uncle replied that they found it in the ravine, 
evidently near the place where it had slipped from his 
grasp when clinging to the back of his friend. 

“ It went from you just as you went from Vega, and 
why you did so is what I should like you to tell me.” 

“ Why, I hung fast, uncle, as long as there seemed 
a chance to save myself, but by-and-by there came a 
tree or something which hit Vega an awful whack, so 
that he went under water. I thought he was killed, so 
I let go, and looked out for myself.” 

“ You seem to have succeeded very well,” said Frede, 
admiring the pluck of the little fellow, “ and I suppose 
the best thing you could do was done, but what befell 
you afterward? ” 

“ The good Lord befriended me, as mother tells me 
He always does; I couldn’t see anything and didn’t 
know where I was, but I hadn’t forgot how to swim, 
and I did my best. The minute I struck out, I hit 
against a tree, and grabbed hold of that ; then I pitched 
over something and was kind of dazed from the rushing 
way things went about me, but I held fast to whatever 
came in my way, and knew God would bring me 


THROUGH JUNGLE ’AND WILDERNESS 183 


through. I can’t tell how it happened, but when some- 
thing struck me again, my wits were all gone for 
awhile, and when I came to, I was lying with my feet 
out of water, and my head and shoulders on the land, 
so the river couldn’t do any more hurt to me. I was 
pretty well banged up, and I feel sore yet, but I was all 
right and crawling up so far that there was no more 
fear from the water, I went to sleep and never woke up 
till the sun was shining.” 

That shows why it was you did not reply to the 
call of Vega, which must have been repeated a hun- 
dred times.” 

I never heard him ; when the day came I felt stiff, 
wet, tired, and hungry, so I started out to hunt you up. 
I didn’t go far when I found that it was hard work to 
travel when your clothing is wet, so I lay down under 
the tree to wait for it to dry, and got asleep before I 
knew it, but I have had enough now to last me a week, 
and will keep watch while you and Vega catch up.” 

“ We need it, and will be glad to avail ourselves of 
your offer. It seems to me that we have been favored 
in a marked manner, for all three of us were placed in 
the most imminent peril, and yet Providence brought 
us through them all.” 

That is what I think,” added Jack, in a serious 
voice, “ and I have thanked Him many times; but I am 
hungry; isn’t it pretty near time that Vega got back? ” 

I am looking for him ; there goes his gun.” 


i 84 through jungle AND WILDERNESS 

“ It seems to be a good ways ofY/^ 

It must be a considerable distance. This is a strange 
country, for though it abounds with all manner of ani- 
mal and vegetable life, yet there are times when a 
hunter has the hardest kind of work to get enough meat 
for a single meal. If any one understands this wilder- 
ness it is Vega, and yet he has been compelled to go a 
long way to find what we need.^’ 

While waiting for the return of the guide, the two 
friends busied themselves in examining their guns and 
putting them in a condition for any emergency. Though 
both had been subjected to some severe usage, neither 
was injured, and after drawing and renewing the 
charges, they were as they should be. 

Vega having fired his rifle, his friends expected his 
return within a reasonable time, but a full hour came 
and went, and nothing was seen or heard of him. 

“ I guess he missed his shot,” said Jack, “ or has 
only wounded the creature, and has to chase it a long 
ways, and maybe has fallen down and hurt himself, and 
broke his gun, and lost all his powder and caps and bul- 
lets, and ” 

“ There, there,” interrupted Alfredo, you have put 
in enough theories, and we’ll wait till we hear from 
Vega himself.” 

Time passing and the guide failing to put in an ap- 
pearance, the man and boy started on a little hunt of 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 185 


their own, in the hope of finding some of the squirrels 
or rats upon which they had already feasted several 
times. They had scarcely started when the ground 
suddenly gave way beneath Jack, who had run ahead, 
and his uncle leaped forward, grasping his arm in time 
to save his going down below his depth. 

It is the work of the tma/' said Alfredo, retreat- 
ing a few steps, still holding the arm of the boy as if 
he feared that injury was likely to befall him before he 
could get away. 


CHAPTER XX 


IN A TROPICAL FOREST 

When Alfredo had drawn his nephew back several 
yards from the yawning cavity in the earth, he paused, 
and the two were silent a moment while they used their 
eyes as best they could, with a view of learning whether 
there was any more immediate danger. 

Jack was pretty well scared, for he did not under- 
stand how it all came about. 

He was walking along, when, all at once, the ground 
gave way beneath him, as if he had stepped upon a thin 
shell forming the roof of some immense subterranean 
cave. 

'' It is the work of the tuza,'' repeated the uncle, with 
some impatience in his voice and manner. 

And what is the tuzaf ” asked Jack. “ Is he some 
man that lives under the ground, and digs caves to 
make people fall in and break their necks, and then get 
up and feel so mad that they would like to see him and 
lick him.” 

'' Your description might be worse, though instead 
of being a man it is the Mexican mole, which the na- 
tives call the tuza, and which is the terror of the agri- 

i86 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 187 

culturists of the country. He is about the size of a 
plump rat. They dig under the ground in such a pe- 
culiar way that no one can tell where they are until the 
surface suddenly gives way and down you go out of 
sight.” 

“ Did you ever know anyone to be harmed by their 
tricks ? ” 

‘‘ I have ; the party which I accompanied two years 
ago dropped into one of these underground traps, all of 
us going down together. The horses struggled so sav- 
agely in their terror, that two of them were killed, and 
one of the servants was hurt so bad that he afterward 
died. The great nuisance of the business is that no 
one gets the slightest warning of what is coming until 
it is too late to save himself. The wonder was that I 
didn’t go down with you. I only wish I could gain a 
chance at one of the creatures,” added Alfredo, as he 
stole cautiously toward the cavity, with his hand upon 
the trigger of his rifle. 

You want to punish him,” 

‘‘ No ; I want to eat him ” 

He cut short his own words by quickly raising his 
rifle and firing into the opening. 

‘‘ I hit him,” exclaimed the marksman, with some 
glee in his voice, for he was hungry, and now we 
shall have breakfast sure, even though it be a late one.” 

Reaching down into the hole, he managed to draw 


i88 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

out the tuza, which was quite a large one, and was 
found to be in excellent condition. 

'‘Now when Vega comes back we will be ready for 
him; just gather a few sticks, Jack, so that there will 
be no delay, while I am dressing the creature, which, 
like all other pests in this world, has some useful pur- 
pose to serve.” 

The fire was no more than fairly under way, when 
Vega the guide came softly to view, carrying in his 
hand an ugly little animal, with a dark-brown coat, 
short feet, ears and eyes so small that they were 
scarcely distinguishable, a mouth well supplied with 
a set of knife-like incisors, while a pouch on each side 
of its jaw was filled to bursting with earth. 

The guide greeted Jack very warmly, and while pre- 
paring the tuza which he had shot, he drew out from 
the lad his story, and told him how it was that the 
shock received from the tree was the cause of his losing 
his grasp upon his young friend. 

Vega’s garments were well covered with the soil, and 
he admitted that while he was out on his hunt for game 
of some kind, he had dropped through from the surface 
of the earth into a cavity some ten or twelve feet in 
depth, and it required no little scratching to extricate 
himself. 

Somehow or other, game did not seem to be plenty 
in that neighborhood on that morning, which was why 
he was so long absent. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 189 

It required but a few minutes to broil the Mexican 
moles, v/hich were found to be very pleasant eating, 
despite the prejudice one would be apt to feel against 
them. 

Indeed, some years ago they were in such demand 
that they were sold quite extensively in the Indian mar- 
kets. 

The meal finished, Vega and Alfredo stretched out 
upon the ground, for the purpose of gaining a portion 
of the sleep of which both stood in such need. 

Jack was told to act the part of sentinel over his 
slumbering companions, and he promised that no harm 
should come to them if it was in his power to keep it 
off. 

For a time it was a very easy matter to play the part 
of watcher over the two men, and the lad was filled 
with the importance of the task intrusted to him. 

But Jack having secured all the slumber he required 
for twenty-four hours to come, soon became restless, 
as is always the case with one of his age when he is 
desired to remain still. 

'' They’ll sleep for two hours, and maybe more,” he 
said to himself, in thinking over the business, “ and 
what’s the use of my sitting here all the time like a 
stick of wood? Why, there isn’t any use at all, and 
I’ll take a peep around to see whetjier there isn’t any- 
thing worth looking at. This is a wonderful country, 


190 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


and I may lose a great deal by doing nothing, for as 
soon as they wake up, they will start ahead again and 
keep traveling till night.” 

He was firmly resolved that nothing should induce 
him to wander beyond call of his friend, and when the 
powerful voice of the guide is remembered, it will be 
seen that the boy allowed himself ample exploring 
room. 

Our friends had already penetrated so far into the 
wilderness, that they were sure of meeting with won- 
ders almost at every step, and thus it was that the lad 
had gone but a short distance from the camp, when 
his attention was arrested by a nest of scolopendrae, 
known more commonly as the centipede. The crea- 
tures, as soon as they saw a stranger looking down 
upon them, rolled up into something resembling balls. 

They were a half dozen in number, and were of a 
pale-blue color. 

Not knowing what they were. Jack, after some hesi- 
tation, picked up a couple and held them in the hollow 
of his hand. 

They lay motionless for a minute or so, and then 
began slowly unrolling themselves, until their whole 
length was shown. 

They were no more than a couple of inches long, and 
were provided with two rows of feet, making alto- 
gether something like forty of these useful, but, irr the 
present case, superfluous appendages. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


191 

Fortunately for the boy, the species which he held in 
his hand did not belong to a poisonous class, although 
some of them, as is well-known, are among the most 
venomous insects found. 

They had been hatched but a short time, and as yet 
possessed but a few rings. 

These increase with the age of the creature, and be- 
come so hard that they serve as an armor to the scolo- 
pendrae, which by many are considered as forming the 
line of demarcation that separates insects from crusta- 
ceans, and the centipede is not a very distant relation 
of the lobster. 

Near at hand the young explorer observed a worm, 
that, as was afterward explained to him, was the iulus. 

Happening to take this in his hand also, it emitted 
a secretion of a sickening odor, and he dropped it with- 
out ceremony. 

When the boy was tired of examining these not unin- 
teresting specimens of tropical animal life, he passed on 
further, taking care to, look back and make sure that he 
was not straying too far away. 

The woods were still, and there was no trace of the 
violent storm which had raged in this vicinity but a 
few hours before. 

When he had gone some two hundred yards further, 
he halted, and came to the conclusion that he had pene- 
trated as far as was prudent. 


192 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


When they wake up and find out that I am gone, 
Vega will set up a yell which I’ll be sure to hear, but 
uncle won’t like it if I go too far, and I’d like to get 
back before they open their eyes.” 

He was quite sure that he still had more than an 
hour at his command, and so he ventured a little fur- 
ther, walking very slowly and measuring every step, 
as it may be said. 

“ Hello ! ” he exclaimed, as he came to a halt before 
some bushes of a denser growth than any he had seen 
since the rising of the sun. “ There is something here 
that it will pay a fellow to look at.” 

This observation was caused by detecting upon a 
bush a number of insects of very peculiar shape. 

Their form, indeed, may be set down as beyond de- 
scription, since they were without regularity or sym- 
metry. They looked as if some goodly-sized insect 
had exploded into fragments, no two of which were of 
the same pattern. 

They were twisted into crosses, stars, broken rings 
and a mixture of the three, so curiously shaped that 
no one would have suspected them of possessing life, 
but for the fact that they displayed great activity. 

The insects which had excited the wonder of Jack, 
he found afterward, belonged to the hemeptera family, 
resembling in some respects both the bug and grass- 
hopper. They are without mandibles or jaws, and 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


193 


their mouth is a sort of beak, the termination of a 
jointed tube which runs along the breast. They are 
quite numerous in many parts of Mexico. 

The boy was still looking at the specimens in his 
palm, when they suddenly hopped off and vanished 
with such nimbleness that he failed in his attempt to 
arrest or catch them. 

But there were others on the same bush, and he was 
in the act of securing them when his attention was 
again drawn to a number of altogether different ob- 
jects. He had seen them before, and knew them as 
the dragon-fly, frequently called by the natives the 
deviVs horse, and not the least beautiful of the innu- 
merable insects found in the warm regions of the globe. 

They have bright eyes of a greenish hue, with a yel- 
low body, and wings speckled with black and crimson. 
The wings are four in number, of a gauzy texture and 
streaked with veins. They first appear on the water, 
in the form of larva, and continue that existence for a 
year. They are among the most voracious of all in- 
sects, and when seized attempt to sting the hand which 
imprisons them. 

The shrub containing the specimens mentioned was 
found to hold in another place a different representa- 
tion of the wealth of the animal kingdom, in the shape 
of a blue lizard, with a green back and mouth, and 
sides of a violet color. 


194 


THROUGH JUNGLE 'AND WILDERNESS 


‘‘ I never saw the like of you before,” mused Jack, 
after studying it awhile, and being as the others 
didn’t hurt me, I don’t believe that there is any danger 
that — Oh, murder ! ” 

He had no more than grasped it between his fingers, 
when it complimented him with a bite that stung like 
a needle, and he dropped it with great promptness, 
leaping about and shaking his hand, under the belief 
that the insect was poisonous; but as the pain gradu- 
ally decreased and there was no swelling, his fear also 
went down. 

It was natural and boylike that he should seek to re- 
venge himself upon the lizard, by crushing it for its 
impertinence, but the little creature was too nimble and 
eluded him. 

As there seemed to be nothing left for him to in- 
spect in this particular locality. Jack ventured still fur- 
ther from the camp, not forgetting to look back and 
survey the path over which he had come. 

“ It ain’t more than a half hour, if it’s that much, 
since I left the folks, and they are still dreaming, so it 
won’t do any harm to go a little ways ahead; but I’ll 
stop in a few minutes and go back.” 

The sound of insects was in the air all the time, and 
as the day was quite warm and sultry. Jack made up 
his mind that their elevation was much less than he 
supposed when they were overtaken by the torrent in 
the ravine. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


195 

When he had walked to the tree which he marked as 
the utmost limit of his excursion, he stopped to look 
around a minute or two before returning. 

‘‘ Here is a better place than where they are to take a 
rest — Hello ! there’s some more of them plagued 
snakes ! ” 

Directly under the tree toward which he was making 
his way were seen not one, but three serpents, stretched 
out as if they enjoyed the shade more than the sun- 
shine — a preference rarely if ever seen among such 
reptiles. 

Those which arrested the attention of Jack were 
what is known as the golden snake, which is held in 
great dread by the natives. The statues of the Aztec 
God of War, the great Huitzilipochtli, had their fore- 
heads bound with the golden snake. 

Jack stood several minutes surveying them with fear, 
when, to his consternation, the largest began gliding 
toward him, and the boy made up his mind that the 
time had come for him to leave those parts. 


CHAPTER XXI 


THE HAUNTED ISLAND 

When a boy catches sight of a formidable serpen! 
gliding toward him, he generally makes the best time 
at his command in leaving that section ; and so it was, 
when Jack saw the golden snake start he gave a cry of 
terror, and started for camp as fast as his legs could 
travel. 

It was as natural that he should keep himself in- 
formed as to the relative speed of the pursuer and pur- 
sued, and as he ran, he continually looked over his 
shoulder to make sure that the horrid reptile was not at 
his heels. The snake, being down among the grass, 
was not readily seen, and the fugitive was striving the 
best he knew how to obtain a glimpse of him when he 
caught his foot in some obstruction, and fell headlong 
to the ground. 

As he scrambled to his feet, he was sure the fright- 
ful reptile was ready to strike, but as he glanced behind 
him again nothing of it was to be seen. 

I guess he got scared and went back,” thought the 
lad, his courage reviving to a great extent, “ and why 
didn^t I remember that I had my gun with me? I’ll 
teach him how to try and bite me.” 

196 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


197 


Thereupon he started back over his own trail, ad- 
vancing with the greatest caution, and keeping both 
eyes open for his enemy. 

Not until the young explorer was near the tree again 
did he catch sight of the reptile, which had followed 
him but a few rods. 

It did not flee upon his approach, but lay in its coil, 
with its head elevated some six inches from the centre, 
as if to show that it was ready for its foe. 

This golden serpent possesses a terrible beauty, its 
body being of a bright yellow, with green spots, and 
long thin black lines running from head to tail. 

Jack paused at a safe distance, and with a view of 
making his aim sure, he knelt down and rested his small 
rifle on one knee, and sighted at the head of the reptile. 

The boy was trembling a little from his fright and 
sudden exertion, but he was fortunate; and, when he 
pulled the trigger, the bullet could not have struck the 
head more fairly, shattering it so utterly that the stump 
only remained. 

The body instantly began a furious thrashing and 
writhing, and the marksman retreated a few steps, 
through fear that the reptile would reach him in its dy- 
ing struggles. 

‘‘ There ! I guess you won't bother any more boys 
that ain't trying to do you any harm," remarked Jack, 
as he proceeded to reload his weapon, keeping his eye 


198 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

in the meantime on the others, which showed restless- 
ness over what had taken place. 

They did not seek to disturb the boy, however, who 
came to look upon himself as a sort of conqueror ; and, 
after v/aiting a few minutes longer, so as to give them 
a chance to take up the battle, if so inclined, he turned 
about and started on his return to camp. 

He had been gone much longer than he supposed, 
and when he reached the spot where he had left his 
friends asleep, he found both awake, and inclined to 
wonder as to what had become of him. 

They had heard the discharge of his gun, and were 
on the point of going to see whether any harm had be- 
fallen him. 

Jack quickly told his adventure, and said that he had 
taken pains not to wander so far away that he was 
likely to meet with any difficulty in returning to camp. 

You have been fortunate,'’ said his uncle, “ but I 
will be better pleased if you do not get up any more 
expeditions on your own account. Little boys of your 
age, no matter how brave, or how well able to use their 
guns, are very apt to run into trouble from which their 
friends cannot always extricate them." 

Jack promised that he would do nothing of the kind 
again, and as the forenoon v/as quite advanced, the 
little party resumed their journey toward the north- 
east. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


199 


The weather was still warm and they proceeded with 
great deliberation, so as not to exhaust themselves un- 
necessarily, and with a view of husbanding their 
strength for the long journey that still remained before 
them. 

The afternoon was well gone when they made their 
way slowly up a gradually ascending ground, beyond 
which there was visible a lofty peak of mountains. 

But they were in a country of mountains, ravines, 
gullies, canons, and the most rugged kind of scenery. 

Vega the guide maintained his position some dis- 
tance in advance of the others; and, as there was no 
danger apprehended more than that which threatens 
the most careful traveler at all times in tropical coun- 
tries, they proceeded with a certain indifference, which 
their experience had given to the child as well as the 
man. 

Vega was all of a hundred yards ahead, and had 
reached some rocks a rod or two above his companions, 
when the latter saw him halt, and standing upright, 
gaze long and earnestly ahead, as if he had made a 
most important and interesting discovery. 

What do you s’pose it is, uncle ? ” asked Jack, halt- 
ing and looking at the fellow, who appeared lost in 
contemplation. 

Nothing very dangerous, I am sure, or he would 
make some signal to us to go on or turn back.” 

‘‘ Shall I yell at him?” 


200 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


'' Why do that, when we can make our way along- 
side of him and see for ourselves what it means ? Come 
on” 

A few minutes after, they clambered up the ascent 
until they placed themselves alongside the guide, when 
they saw at once that there was good cause for his ab- 
sorbing interest. 

They were standing on a sort of plateau, which 
spread out before them into an expanse of several miles 
in every direction. 

The most of this was water — clear, calm, and with- 
out the least ripple. 

It was one of the most beautiful lakes which Alfredo 
had ever encountered in all his travels. 

As near as they could judge — and they were not far 
out of the way — it was some four or five miles in 
length, and with a width scarcely less. 

The water had a clear, pure color, with an emerald 
tint, which makes Otsego, in New York, so attractive. 
The reputation that the lake bore among the guides, 
at least with Vega, was that it had no bottom. 

Attempts, he declared, had been made to measure 
its depth, but at a distance of only a few rods from 
shore the longest line that was ever dropped failed to 
touch bottom. 

“ Being among these mountains,” said Alfredo, it 
is natural that it should have some portions of great 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS. 


201 


depth, but it isn’t likely that it reaches through to the 
other side.” 

The guide looked at the speaker as if he was not 
sure what he meant. 

‘‘ But that ain’t the strangest thing about it,” said 
Vega, in a voice which was meant to signify that he 
was the possessor of some great secret. 

“ Let us hear what it is,” said Frede, in the most 
persuasive tone he could assume. 

Fie intended it as a concession to the superior knowl- 
edge of their indispensable guide. 

The latter, by way of reply, pointed to a small 
wooded island, which stood very near the centre of the 
lake. 

This little patch of land was suggestive of a bouquet 
resting on the surface of the water, and would have 
recalled the beautiful Lakes of Killarney to one who 
had seen them. 

The island was small, containing a half dozen acres, 
perhaps, but no more. 

The sides rose steep from the water to a height ot 
a dozen feet, and in the centre the middle portion was 
about twice as high. 

The island was covered with a peculiar vegetation, 
none of it consisting of trees, with plenty of rocks, and 
shrubbery and undergrowth. 

Alfredo and Jack scrutinized it for some time 


202 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


through the telescope, but could distinguish nothing 
very marked about it. 

When the survey was completed, the man turned to 
the guide, who, with his arms folded, was still looking 
out upon the scene like one entirely lost in contempla- 
tion. 

“ Vega, it is a romantic picture; it is one of the most 
beautiful lakes I ever saw, and the little island in the 
centre could not have been more charming. But you 
have intimated that there is something strange about 
the island itself. Pray, what is it? ” 

Never was the face of the guide more serious and 
composed than when he made the answer: 

That is Haunted Island” 

“ I never heard of the place before.’’ 

There are a great many places signor has never 
heard of or seen,” was the withering response of the 
guide, who was not going to permit any legend of his 
to be trampled on in that manner. 

You are right; if I was not certain that there was 
much for me to learn I would not have ventured on 
so dangerous a journey as this. But tell me how long 
has it been haunted ? ” 

Always.” 

That is a long time, and it has a respectable age, 
beyond question.” 

All who live within hundreds of miles have heard 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


203 


of the Haunted Island” was the dignified addendum 
of Vega. 

“ But tell me further, Vega, since you are familiar 
with it, in what way these evidences of the place being 
haunted are shown. Have you ever been on the isl- 
and ? 

The fellow looked scared that any one should ask 
him such a question as that. 

“Nobody would dare to do that; nobody has ever 
done it ; it would be sure death to do so.” 

His employer laughed. 

“ If no one has ever set foot on this island, how do 
you know that it is certain death ? ” 

The guide shrugged his shoulders, but his conviction 
was not shaken. 

A man’s pet prejudices are not to be laughed down 
in that style. 

“ The attempt has been made, and there was a time 
when the men went so near that they saw it would be 
death to go further.” 

This rather ingenious extrication of himself from a 
corner pleased Alfredo, who had no wish to place the 
guide in an embarrassing position. 

“ That’s a different matter,” he said, as if greatly 
relieved to hear it cleared up; “but, the place being 
haunted, tell me in what way it shows itself.” 

“ A good many ways, and not so many, either.” 


204 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS. 


‘‘ Have you ever seen any evidences of it? ” 

“ Yes, I have.” 

This was uttered with the positive conviction of one 
who knew the truth of what he said. 

In what way — what was the peculiar appear- 
ance ? ” 

It was along here at night, and without knowing 
the first time that it was the Haunted Island that I was 
looking upon, strange voices came to me across the 
lake — voices that were those of spirits, and which I had 
never heard before or in any other place.” 

Did you see anything strange? ” 

That I did ; there were forms, too, of spirits which 
I saw floating in the air off over the lake, and some of 
them came close to the shore where I was standing, so 
frightened that I could not stir hand or foot.” 

This declaration of the guide took away the little 
faith that Alfredo was beginning to feel in the singu- 
lar characteristic of the place, and he was convinced 
that the fellow had been listening to some absurd ru- 
mor or legend of the Haunted Island, and had taken 
it all in as greedily as if it were some history of the 
saint upon whom he had fixed his hopes of eternal life. 

He thought he would question him a little further 
before coming to the conclusion that the fellow was 
mistaken in every particular. 

Accordingly he asked him as to the length of time 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


205 


since he had seen this wonderful sight, what the mani- 
festations consisted of, and what was the theory to ac- 
count for this place being haunted. 

The responses to these were about what he ex- 
pected. 

The island, he repeated, had always been haunted, 
there were strange sights seen, and wonderful sounds 
heard on the shores of the lake, such as no mortal had 
ever seen or heard before. 

The former consisted of the figures of spirits float- 
ing in the air above the island and lake, many of which 
Vega had looked upon himself, and the sounds were 
those of the sweetest music to which mortals had ever 
listened. 


CHAPTER XXII 


A LONELY ENCAMPMENT 

Alfredo Alfiero listened to the singular stories 
which Vega, the guide, told about the Haunted Island 
with a certain interest which such accounts never ex- 
cited in him before. 

He was a man devoid of superstition, and always 
turned an incredulous ear to the marvelous accounts 
of spirits and hobgoblins, but somehow or other there 
was an attraction to what the Mexican related that 
caused him to question and cross-question until he had 
all that the fellow contained on this point. 

The guide insisted that he himself had seen these 
sights and heard these sounds, which made such an 
impression upon him and others. 

It was plain to see that he believed what he said, and 
the employer was somewhat puzzled to understand ex- 
actly how it was. 

Vega was as positive as that he was a living man 
that he had stood on the very shores and on the very 
spot, where, at the close of day, they were looking out 
upon the placid surface of the lake, and standing thus 
and gazing, he had seen those strange, mysterious fig- 
206 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


207 


ures floating in the air, drifting hither and thither, un- 
til he held his breath, believing he stood on the bound- 
ary of the other world. 

He had heard, too, the strains of music — ravishing 
strains, such as had never charmed his ear in other 
places. 

Vega, in the course of his narrative, intimated that 
there were many who believed that this island con- 
tained the entrance to Paradise. 

The sights and sounds to which he referred were 
such as would be expected by those who came that close 
to the gates of the Blessed Regions. 

There was a consistency in this superstition which 
pleased Alfredo, and caused him to question the guide 
more closely than he would have done otherwise. 

But the fellow was shocked by the proposition of 
his employer: 

“ Let’s get a boat and go out to the island? ” 

Vega looked at him as if he doubted whether he 
heard him aright. 

Sure am I that you would not do such an awful 
thing.” 

“ What is there so awful about that? No man can 
be blamed for wanting to get as near the gates of Para- 
dise as he can, and as all the spirits are good, they will 
not hurt us for seeking to gratify such a natural curi- 
osity. Come, Vega, go along and I will pay you well.” 


2o8 through jungle AND WILDERNESS 

But the guide shook his head in a melancholy way, 
as if he felt sorry for such a rash and innocent man. 

There is not enough wealth in all Mexico to tempt 
me, and I hope that my master, if he has any such pur- 
pose, will think again, and take counsel of his con- 
science.’' 

“ I have no doubt that you believe all you say, Vega, 
but I don’t think there is any danger at all. If you 
don’t want to go to the Haunted Island, it is useless 
for me to insist on it, but if I get the chance I intend 
to look down upon, or rather up at it, as I see it stands 
a respectable distance above the water. I think, too, 
that Jack, here, will be glad to go with me; won’t you, 
Jack?’' 

“ I’m sure he won’t,” said Vega, hurriedly, looking 
longingly at the little fellow, as if he expected him to 
step into the breach and save his uncle from rushing 
to destruction. 

I wouldn’t want to try it alone,” said the boy, 
'' but if uncle does, I’ll have to go along to take care 
of him.” 

The gentleman referred to in this manner laughed, 
and Vega’s countenance assumed an expression of 
grave sorrow. 

But he said nothing. 

He felt that he was among persons who were unable 
to appreciate the real situation, and that it was useless 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


to throw away his breath in the way of further expos- 
tulation. 

So he folded his arms again and gazed off toward 
the Haunted Island, like one who was sunk in medita- 
tion, from which he regretted that he had been aroused 
by the importunity of unbelievers. 

Alfredo Alfiero nodded his head toward the boy and 
walked a short distance to a large rock, where they sat 
down close together, to talk over several matters, where 
there was no danger of the guide overhearing what 
was said. 

'' When I told Vega that I had never heard of the 
Haunted Island before, I unconsciously stated an un- 
truth, for I remember that I have heard it spoken of 
in Vera Cruz; there is a mystery about it which I mean 
to fathom to the bottom ; but I want you to be careful 
and say nothing to the guide on the subject; for some 
reason he does not wish to talk about it, and so we will 
let it drop.'’ 

But were you in earnest when you told him you 
,was going to visit it if you could get the chance ? " 

Most certainly I was ; those yarns which he tells 
about ghosts and hobgoblins are not worth listening 
to. I shall look for some means of getting to the island 
to-night." 

How far out is it? " 

This part of the mainland is about as near to it as 


mo THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

any other point, and we are fully a half mile, if not 
more.’' 

“ Can’t we swim out to it ? ” 

It is not impossible, but that is not the way in 
which I mean to reach it ” 

Alfredo stopped talking at this instant, as Vega had 
turned about and was walking toward them. 

Do you mean to visit the island? ” he asked, in a 
direct but respectful tone of his employer. 

“ I see no reason why I should not ; I never yet felt 
any fears of haunted places, and I would like to take a 
look around there.” 

‘‘ If you go,” said Vega, in a low, meaning voice, 
“ you will never come hack again! ” 

Alfredo was not scared a bit at this threat. 

‘‘ I am always prepared to take the risk of any step 
of mine ; if there is any danger there more than there 
is here, I will prepare for it; that’s all there is about 
that, Vega.” 

The guide seemed on the point of replying, but he 
changed his mind and turned away without a word. 

He walked slowly along, as if in deep thought, and 
never stopped his progress until he disappeared in the 
woods. 

“ Where has he gone? ” asked Jack. 

I do not know ; I do not think it is to hunt game, 
for we have enough meat for sugper. He has some 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


2II 


other errand, and I half suspect we won’t see him back 
here to-night.” 

‘‘What shall we do?” asked Jack, who seemed to 
think that the guide, now that they were so far in the 
country, could not be dispensed with. 

“If he doesn’t come back again we will go without 
him.” 

Uncle and nephew sat on the rock for another half 
hour, but nothing was seen of Vega, and Frede be- 
came well convinced that he was offended at the per- 
sistency of his master in trying to visit the Haunted 
Island against his protestations, and as a consequence 
had gone off in a huff. 

If such were the fact, he would probably stay away 
for a few days, and then show himself again. 

So his disappearance caused them little concern. 

The sun was now low in the sky, having dropped 
out of sight behind the mountains on the left, and the 
^ scene upon which they looked was one of the most 
beautiful that pencil of nature ever drew. 

There were mountains on the west and north. 

The latter were so far removed that they looked dim, 
faint, misty, and wore a bluish tint, which threw a vail 
over the rough, craggy outlines that revealed them- 
selves on a closer approach. 

Those on the left were nearer at hand, and were not 
wanting in a wild sublimity which is inseparable from 
all mountain ranges. 


312 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Amid all this grand exhibition of the mighty handi- 
work of nature the bright lake rested like some gem 
on the breast of a scarred warrior of herculean mold. 

Not a breath of air was stirring. The surface of the 
lake was like that of a highly polished mirror, in which 
trees and rocks along the shore were reflected with ab- 
solute perfection. 

Off in the distance was the little island, with its 
high, wall-like banks, rocks, and emerald vegetation, 
upon which not the slightest sign of life could be dis- 
cerned with the aid even of a strong telescope. 

Alfredo had some hope of detecting some person on 
the place when he came to examine it thus critically, 
but he was disappointed. 

Man and boy indeed looked as if they had reached 
the confines of a country never before visited by man. 

It required little effort of the imagination to make 
themselves believe that they were the first human be- 
ings who had ever trodden these lonely shores. 

The twilight was deepening, and the dull gloom of 
night slowly crept over the lake and Haunted Island. 

Gazing out across the water, it would have taken 
the most practical kind of a man to fight off a certain 
feeling of the weird mystery which hung over the 
scene. 

They had been told that the place was haunted, and 
told, too, by one who asserted that he had seen with 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


213 


his eyes and heard with his ears such sights and sounds 
as no creatures of this world can produce. 

“ Surely if there were such things as disembodied 
spirits,” thought Alfredo, this would be their chosen 
resort.” 

Man and lad stood silent and thoughtful until the 
night was fairly settled over lake, island and shore, and 
then Jack broke in upon the romantic associations with 
the very practical remark : 

“ Uncle Frede, Fd like to have something to eat.” 

“ And so would I, and being unanimous on that 
point, and possessing, as we do, the same something 
to eat, what is to hinder? I do not see anything, and 
while you gather the sticks, I will trot out the rest of 
that meat which Vega brought in at noon, and which 
we will warm up for supper.” 

The programme was carried out to the letter. 

Jack was surprised, however, when he started to 
build the fire in a hollow, where it was less liable to ob- 
servation, and his uncle requested him to kindle it on 
the bank of the lake, where it could be seen further 
than from any other point. 

Jack asked the reason for such a curious demand, 
but he did not receive a very satisfactory explanation. 

There was plenty of wood here, and in a very short 
time they had a good blaze flaring up on the bank of the 
lake, and throwing the rays far out toward the Haunted 
Island. 


214 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Then the meat was more thoroughly cooked, and 
the two sat down to their evening meal. 

The night wore on, but Vega was neither seen nor 
heard, and they almost ceased to talk of him. 

The day had been warm, as will be remembered, but 
the night was as cool and pleasant as could be desired. 

As it grew later, there came a slight breath of wind 
which swept gently across the lake, with a coolness 
which was as grateful as invigorating. 

Alfredo remarked that they could not have selected 
a more delightful place in which to spend the night, 
and they would probably stay several days there. 

This was an intimation that he would encamp in or 
near this spot until he had penetrated the mystery of 
the Haunted Island, or had found himself compelled 
to give up the attempt. 

It made small difference to Jack, who had learned 
to rely upon his uncle so fully that he had no desire to 
wander off on any more expeditions of his own after 
the disastrous experience which he had encountered. 

Early in the evening, there were a few faint mutter- 
ings of thunder, but they were so far away, and ceased 
so soon that all fears of a storm passed with them. 

Jack was tired from the tramping of the day, and 
he did not wait long when he lay down, and, in accord- 
ance with his custom, went almost immediately to sleep. 

Alfredo stretched out in an easy attitude by the smol- 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 21$ 

dering fire, smoking languidly at his pipe, to which he 
had resorted after the failure of his cigarettes. 

He looked very much like a man who was doomed 
soon to fall asleep, but such was not the fact. 

His mind was full of strange thoughts to-night, and 
he acted very much as if he was laying some scheme 
or plan that was of great importance to somebody. 

He frequently muttered to himself and looked off 
over the lake, after the manner of one who was ex- 
pecting the appearance of some person, or was waiting 
the occurrence of some anticipated event. 


CHAPTER XXIII 


WONDERFUL MUSIC IN THE AIR 

Alfredo Alfiero possessed no means of determin- 
ing the hour of the night, but, to his judgment, it was 
fully half spent when he stretched himself out by the 
camp-fire, to go to sleep. 

“ It’s about all that is left to me to do,” he muttered, 
with a dissatisfied air ; “ I made a blunder, though I 
hope it will turn out to be for the best. However, there 
isn’t a show for doing anything to-night, that’s cer- 
tain, and we will adjourn till to-morrow.” 

The dying camp-fire afforded no light. 

A faint moon in the sky showed the lake for a short 
distance from shore, and here and there, when some 
fish agitated the surface, the ripples shimmered in the 
moonlight, as if fanned by the wing of some spirit flit- 
ting over it. 

Alfredo had his theory of the Haunted Island, but 
he was disappointed that nothing took place. 

He was passing into absolute unconsciousness, when 
he became sensible of something dancing through his 
mind which was not a creation of fancy. 

He was sure he heard the sound of music. 


216 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


217 


He rose up on his elbow, and, to his amazement, the 
music sounded as if in the air, hundreds of feet over 
his head. 

It was not stationary, but seemed to sink and rise in 
waves so faint at times that it was almost inaudible, and 
then it was as distinct as if the cause was just above 
him. 

Alfredo was on the point of rising to his feet more 
than once, but he was fearful of breaking the spell and 
robbing himself of the most ravishing music to which 
he had ever listened. 

At last the arm grew weary supporting his head, and 
he assumed the sitting position. 

And then for the first time he learned the direction 
whence came the ravishing, heavenly music. 

It was from the Haunted Island. 

While Alfredo, rapt and wondering, sat listening 
and straining his powers of hearing, the ravishing 
strains suddenly ceased. 

He held his breath, hoping they would recommence, 
but they did not, and he finally drew a heavy sigh of 
sadness. 

'' Shall I ever hear the like again ? ’’ he asked him- 
self, thinking possibly that it might come once more. 

But the hope died out, when the minutes came and 
passed, and all remained as profoundly silent as be- 
fore. 


ai8 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

While gazing off toward the island, he suddenly ut- 
tered a cry of surprise, and sprang to his feet. 

A light, or rather a number of lights, that at first 
bore the appearance of stars, rose out of the lake, 

But he knew they were upon the island, and a sec- 
ond glance showed that they were moving slowly in a 
circular direction. 

They seemed, in fact, to be carried by persons who 
were signaling. 

At once he looked along the lake shore for anything 
like a response to them. 

None could be seen. 

What could these curious sights mean? 

As nearly as Alfredo could judge, there were about 
a dozen of them, though they shifted their position so 
often, and moved in and out among each other in such 
a manner that he was not sure he was right. 

The exhibition continued, perhaps, a half hour, when 
it ended abruptly. 

Silence and darkness at last reigned again. 

The night was far spent, but still Alfredo felt no de- 
sire to sleep. 

‘‘ Where is Vega? ” he suddenly asked himself, rais- 
ing his head and looking around him. 

‘‘ If he was here, it would help matters somewhat, 
though I am sure he will tell anyone else before he will 
tell me all that he knows about this,’' 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS. 


219 


As the night advanced, and nothing more was seen 
or heard, he gradually fell into a slumber which lasted 
till the sun rose, when he was awakened by Jack, who 
wanted to know whether he meant to sleep all day. 

The uncle then sprang up, and they began their 
preparations for the morning meal. 

Alfredo did not think it best to tell so young a boy 
the strange things he had seen and heard during the 
night. 

As they were without any food, it was necessary to 
shoot some game, or to try the water. 

I think a fish from the haunted lake would taste 
well,” said Jack, when they were discussing the ques- 
tion. 

Alfredo proceeded to act upon it at once. 

He took it for granted that all such bodies of water 
were disturbed so unfrequently that they abounded 
with numerous kinds of fish. 

In this supposition they were not disappointed. The 
line was no more than cast into the water when it was 
drawn out with a fish big enough to furnish both with 
a substantial breakfast. 

This, and a species of wild apple, made them an en- 
joyable meal. 

When the eating was done, they took a good long 
draught from the lake, whose water was as cool and 
pure as if it were the product of an innumerable num- 
ber of mountain springs. 


220 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Alfredo was not a little astounded when Jack asked 
whether he had noticed any music during the night, 
adding : 

“ I either heard or dreamed I heard something like 
the harps of heaven, that mother used to tell me about.” 

Folks have strange dreams sometimes,” was the 
evasive answer of his uncle, who tried to lead him off 
the subject. 

What are we going to do to-day ? ” next asked the 
boy. Are we to go ahead without Vega? ” 

'' If he does not appear when we are ready to start, 
we will do so, but we ain’t ready just yet.” 

“We have traveled over half the distance to Vera 
Cruz, have we not? ” 

“Yes, more than half, and we have the consolation 
that, if our guide fails to show himself, we can get 
along without him. That which lies before us is much 
less difficult and dangerous than that which we have 
left behind.” 

“ Then let’s start ahead — that is, as soon as you are 
ready? ” 

“ That’s what I mean to do, but you haven’t forgot 
that island out there which Vega insists is haunted? ” 

“ No ; I will never forget about it, nor how you 
laughed at him when he said he heard wonderful music 
and lots of other things. What a big dunce he must 
be!” 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


221 


Somehow or other, Alfredo didn’t feel so much like 
laughing at the assertion as he did at the time it was 
made. 

I have decided to stay here, Jack, for this day, and 
possibly longer,” said Alfredo ; “ and the reason why, 
is because I mean to learn something more about that 
Haunted Island out there. I want you to help me. 
Will you do it? ” 

‘‘ Yes, if there ain’t any ghosts and hobblegoblins,” 
replied the lad, with a desperate effort to screw up his 
courage to the sticking-point. What part do you 
want me to act? ” 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


RECONNOITERING THE HAUNTED ISLAND 

The work expected of Jack Winch was so simple 
that he gladly accepted it when his uncle made the 
proposition. 

It was merely that they should reconnoitre the 
Haunted Island from a safe distance. 

The extent of the lake was rather too great to make 
the circuit of it in one day, and it was not proposed to 
do it. 

But it was agreed that the man and boy should sepa- 
rate, taking opposite directions, and travel until they 
were able to make a pretty full survey of the interesting 
spot. 

If Jack should go a considerable distance to the right, 
and his uncle about as far to the left, they would be 
able to see all there was any necessity of surveying. 

After what had taken place the previous night, Al- 
fredo was prepared to make some important discovery. 

Each carried his loaded rifle, and it was not to be 
supposed that they would encounter any serious dan- 
ger. 

Alfredo impressed upon his nephew the fact that he 


222 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


223 


must be as watchful as he knew how, and in case he 
made any kind of discovery, he was to fire his gun, or 
give a shrill whistle, a well-known signal between them. 

The sun was only fairly above the mountain peaks 
when they set out on the work of exploring. 

Alfredo was compelled to climb over the rocks, and 
in many cases to make long detours around. 

This not only lengthened his journey but increased 
the difficulty beyond all estimation. 

From time to time he came to a halt, and, with his 
field-glass, scrutinized every portion of the island. 

For a long time, nothing rewarded this painstaking 
work. He made one discovery, which afterward proved 
of great importance. 

The centre portion of the island was a mass of rocks. 

Through the trees and undergrowth, he could see 
great masses of gray and blackened stone, such as 
would have been left by the eruption of a volcano on 
this island. 

That's a capital hiding-place,” said he, as he low- 
ered his glass. “ A man might crouch in there and 
make up his mind that he was out of the world, where 
he would never be seen or heard of again. Fm firmly 
persuaded that there are human beings there, or at least 
there were last night. Where they are to-day is more 
than I can guess.” 

He kept himself as much concealed, while making 


224 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


these surveys, as he could, and had instructed Jack to 
do the same. 

Suddenly he heard the whistle signal agreed on be- 
tween him and Jack. 

Hello ! ’’ he said to himself ; “ Jack has found out 
something, sure, and Fm glad of it, for it is more than 
I have done. Hello ! there he goes again.’' 

This second exclamation was caused by hearing the 
lad repeat the signal, and before his uncle could send in 
a reply, it sounded a third time, showing that Jack es- 
timated the value of his discovery pretty highly. 

There is no telling how many times more the signal 
would have been repeated by the ambitious boy had 
not Alfredo at this moment put in a reply by way of 
protest. 

This, of course, convinced Jack that there was no 
further necessity, just then, for any effort of the kind, 
and silence reigned. 

Alfredo was all of half an hour in arriving at the 
place where the impatient Jack was awaiting him. 

The boy was found crouching behind a rock. 

Well, my lad, what have you seen? ” 

There, don’t you see it? ” 

As he replied, he pointed to an object upon the bank, 
which, when looked at, was seen to be an Indian canoe. 

It was of small size, and drawn up in such a way 
that a person would have been apt to pass directly by it 
without discovering it. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


225 


Jack had seen it entirely by chance. 

Alfredo examined it as minutely as he could, but 
detected nothing new or startling in its appearance. 

It was capable of holding three or four persons, and 
was constructed with considerable skill. 

There were two long paddles lying on the ground 
beside it. 

“ Is that all you have seen ? ” asked the uncle, when 
he had inspected the boat. 

“ Of course it is, and I should think it was enough ; 
it is more than you have found.” 

'' You are right there, which can be the fact without 
amounting to much, inasmuch as I have not found any- 
thing at all.” 

But you said yesterday, and last night, that you 
wanted to visit the Haunted Island, and now I have 
found you the means to do it. I think that is a good 
deal.” 

Haven^t you seen anything else? ” 

“ No, not that I know of.” 

Haven’t noticed any person in this neighborhood ? 
And haven’t seen any one prowling about the island? ” 

‘‘No; I have watched all I could, and was about to 
give up and go back and tell you it was no use, when I 
came plump on to this boat, and I thought I had found 
something big ; so I whistled two or three times, afraid 
you might get so far you wouldn’t be able to hear me.” 


226 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

I heard you the first time ; and the man looked 
more serious, as he added, this may prove of great 
use to us, after all. I mean to visit the island, and I 
can’t need anything better than this boat to do it with.” 

‘‘ Then let’s get in right away and pull for the is- 
land.” 

And the enthusiastic lad moved toward the vessel. 

But his uncle restrained him. 

“ It isn’t time yet ; don’t want any one on the island 
to see us when we try it ; they might object to our going 
there, and so we will wait till night.” 

Jack could not see the wisdom of this. 

“ They may find us out in going there at night as 
well as at day.” 

True, but the chances are in favor of our escaping 
at night.” 

This much agreed upon, the man decided to resort 
to a little strategy to deceive the fellows who were on 
the island, as he was convinced that they knew they 
were exciting to a great degree the curiosity of a couple 
of individuals on the mainland. 

His plan was now to give out, as far as it could be 
done, the impression that he and Jack had thrown up 
all intention of approaching the island. 

He had given Vega the belief that he was going to 
visit the Haunted Ground, if such a thing were possi- 
ble, and now, it was in order to assume that it was im- 
possible and to back out. 


THROUGH JUNGLE ^AND WILDERNESS 


227 

No great skill was needed to do this, and he set 
about it at once. 

The first point was to show themselves, without ap- 
pearing to do so. 

They, therefore, came out from the hiding, as it may 
be called, in which they had indulged while making the 
reconnoissance. 

‘‘ I told you to keep yourself hidden as much as you 
could,’’ said Alfredo to his nephew, “ and now I want 
you to do the other thing — that is, to make sure that no 
one on the island, if he has a pair of eyes, fails to see 
you.” 

The best way to do that is to get up on the top of 
that rock, and dance and yell.” 

This was not deemed the part of prudence, as it 
would show that there was an attempt to attract atten- 
tion to themselves. 

This fact of itself might defeat the purpose which 
the man had in view. 

But they started to return to the spot where they had 
encamped the night before, and in doing so, they ren- 
dered themselves so conspicuous that Alfredo felt no 
doubt that they were noticed by all who were on the 
island. 

When they reached the scene of their encampment, 
a surprise awaited them, and one that caused no little 
speculation. 


928 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

There were unmistakable signs that the camp had 
been visited during their absence. 

There were footprints on the ground, distinctly 
marked. 

They were not tracks made by a moccasin such as 
many Mexicans and Indians in Mexico wear, but the 
trail was evidently made by some heavy personage. 

Who do you think it was? ” asked Jack. 

I haven’t the slightest idea.” 

‘‘ I know who it was.” 

The man looked at the boy in amazement. 

The latter added with a laugh : 

‘‘ Why, those are the tracks of Vega.” 

So they were, indeed. How strange that it had not 
occurred to Alfredo before, when he had seen the trail 
of the guide a hundred times, at least, and was fully 
acquainted with its peculiarities! 

Well, that was a stupid piece of blundering on my 
part,” he laughed, pausing and looking at the prints on 
the ground. 

Vega has been here while we were av/ay, and he 
has gone again. It begins to look as if we shall not see 
him at all.” 

‘‘ There he is, now I ” 

As the boy uttered this exclamation the very man 
of whom they were talking came to view, and' ap- 
proached with a smiling countenance. 


THROUGH JUNGLE ’AND WILDERNESS 


229 


After they had saluted each other, the guide re- 
marked, in an inquiring voice : 

“ Have you visited the Haunted Island? '' 

How can I visit it without a boat ? '' 

“ If you had a boat, would you go out to it? ” 

There was a peculiar manner in which this question 
was asked, which deepened a suspicion of Alfredo. 

I spent last night along the shore. What I then 
learned was wonderful; I will say nothing more on 
that point, but don’t ask me to go out to the island after 
what I have told you.” 

This accomplished what was intended. Alfredo 
looked furtively at his guide while making this answer, 
and he saw his swarthy face lit up with an expression 
of delight. 

It was what the man was expecting from his ser- 
vant, and it confirmed a suspicion formed long before 
this. 

'' I know you did wise,” said Vega. “ I would not 
visit that island for all the wealth in Mexico, for if I 
did, I would never be able to go back to my beloved 
family, who would grieve for me till they died of 
broken hearts. It would be the same with you ; there- 
fore I say that senor has done a wise thing.” 


CHAPTER XXV 


ON THE HAUNTED ISLAND 

It was now indispensable that Vega, the guide, 
should be persuaded to part company with the other 
two for a while. 

Unless this could be done, the little scheme that was 
on foot must be thwarted. 

How to rid themselves of him without exciting his 
suspicion was the question which puzzled Alfredo. 

In fact, however, Vega, the guide, was in the same 
trouble. 

He wanted to get away from his employer for sev- 
eral hours, and he did not know how to manage it. 

It was reserved for the guide to solve the difficulty. 

“ There is good game over yonder,” said he, “ and 
the day will be warm. I would like to hunt awhile on 
the other side of the lake.” 

“ Well,” said Alfredo, the day promises to be 
warm, and I have little disposition to do much traveling 
when we have such a lot of climbing to do. So go off 
on your hunt, and where shall we meet again? ” 

The guide pointed to a large rock a half mile away, 
which was rendered conspicuous by its peculiar white 
color. 


230 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


231 


Let us make it there to-morrow morning.” 

“Agreed; try and be there by daylight, for unless 
the weather becomes still hotter, we must start.” 

Vega departed almost immediately, in the best of 
humor. 

With the departure of Vega, Alfredo told Jack to 
make ready for their start. 

“ Where were you going? ” asked the boy. 

“ Just as straight for that rock that we agreed on as 
we can.” 

“ All right,” responded Jack, starting off with enthu- 
siasm. 

They toiled along the rocky shore, all the time mak- 
ing themselves as conspicuous as possible to those upon 
the island, if they chose to cast their eyes in that di- 
rection. 

When at last they reached the spot, they were glad 
enough to throw themselves on the ground and take 
a rest before discussing any further plans. 

During the day, nothing was seen or heard to add 
anything to their previous information. 

A short distance away, Alfredo caught sight of 
Vega, cautiously climbing to the top of a high rock, 
from which he looked off in the direction where he 
supposed his friends to be. 

When he turned away, his employer had little doubt 
that the fellow had been thoroughly deceived. 


232 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


At last night descended once more on lake and wil- 
derness. 

“ Jack, my boy,” said his uncle, as he took his hand, 

“ I am going off in an attempt to reach the Haunted 
Island, and I leave you here. I do not believe I run 
any risk — at any rate, not enough to take into account. 
So you must not be alarmed if I am not back right 
away, for I want to take a look around there while I 
have the chance.” 

‘‘ When do you think you will be back, uncle? ” 

By morning at the latest, though I may possibly 
be detained beyond that time.” 

And what shall I do while you are gone? ” 

‘‘ Rest, and prepare for what is to come. There is 
little that you have to fear, for you have had enough 
experience with wild animals and all sorts of reptiles 
to make you competent to take pretty good care of 
yourself. There are no wild beasts that you need dread. 
Here is a cavity in the rocks into which you can crawl, 
if necessary, where you will be safe from anything big 
enough to do you the slightest harm.” 

'' 'Spose it’s a ghost, how then? ” 

“ There won’t be any ghost, and so don’t allow your- 
self to think of that which doesn’t exist.” 

After a few more words, the uncle shook hands again 
with the boy and took his departure. 

He’s forgot one thing,” chuckled Jack, when he 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


233 


was left alone ; “ he forgot to tell me not to follow him. 
Now, if he had forbidden me to do that I would not 
have disobeyed him; but I am sure he did not, so he 
can’t find fault if I start off to find out what all this 
means. He won’t tell me anything, but he says there 
ain’t any ghosts or hobblegoblins, and if any one knows 
he does. So, if there ain’t such creatures on the island, 
why can’t I go there as well as he ? ” 

Alfredo left the boy behind, because he believed he 
could work out his plans much better alone. 

Jack had no thought of starting off immediately 
after his uncle, for, in the first place, he had no means 
of doing so. 

His idea was, that if the gentleman did not return 
at the time agreed upon, and he could find a way of 
reaching the island, he would do so, on the pretext that 
he was alarmed over his absence, and had gone to help 
him out of his trouble — that is, if he had gotten into 
any. 

Anyway, I don’t want to get out there in the night 
time,” he said to himself, “ for if there is anything 
spookey, that’s the time they would be sure to be 
around. If I visit it, I will do so when the sun is shin- 
ing.” 

It was fully dark before Alfredo left his young friend, 
so that when he reached the canoe there was scarcely 
any light at all. 


234 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


The moon did not rise till quite late, and he was sure, 
therefore, of having all the darkness he could want. 

The little boat with the long ashen paddle was just 
as he had left it. 

When he took his seat in the small craft, and lifted 
the paddle, he did it with the style and manner of a 
veteran. 

The darkness failed to reveal anything, and the still- 
ness was like that of a vault. 

There seemed to be no reason why he should delay 
his departure, and he dipped the paddle for the first 
time in the waters of the lake. 

He saw that the structure to which he had intrusted 
himself was not only graceful in build, but was splen- 
didly balanced on the water, and controlled with mar- 
velous ease. 

There was no occasion for hurry, and he dipped his 
oar like one who was approaching with the greatest 
caution some dangerous point, where in all probability 
a deadly enemy was awaiting his coming. 

When about half way between the land and the 
Haunted Island, Alfredo paused again and listened. 

He was a little startled while in this attitude of at- 
tention, to catch just the faintest sound of another pad- 
dle in the water. 

As nearly as he could judge, the sound came from 
the point at which he had embarked. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


235 


He waited long but heard no more. 

Turning about, he moved stealthily back on the look- 
out for the other boat, but he failed to discover any- 
thing. 

It must have been some one going to the main- 
land,” he concluded. “ He will reach, perhaps, the very 
spot where this canoe was moored, and not finding it 
there, will know that something is up, though possibly 
he may think it was one of his confederates who has 
taken possession.” 

At any rate, Alfredo could not see as he was to gain 
anything by staying longer on the lake, and he re- 
sumed his approach to the Haunted Island and its mys- 
tery. 

A few minutes later, he caught the dim outlines of 
the Haunted Island, looming up to view through the 
gloom, and he paused with a strange sensation. 

It was needed now above any other time to proceed 
with perfect noiselessness, if he wished to effect a land- 
ing without detection. 

Nothing was to be seen or heard to cause any mis- 
giving, and he gently dipped his paddle, and the canoe 
at last touched the bank. 

But the rocks were so high at this point, that he 
could not effect a landing, and he stole along the shore 
in quest of some better wharf. 


236 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

In a few minutes he found one, and forcing the bow 
of the boat against the shore, he stepped out and drew 
the canoe after him. 

At last Alfredo Alfiero stood on the Haunted Island. 


CHAPTER XXVI 


A STRANGE EXPLORATION 

Concealing his canoe as best he could, he was about 
to leave, when he was startled by hearing the sound of 
a whistle behind him, and so near that he turned his 
head, expecting to see the cause of it. 

The whistle, like that uttered by Jack Winch, was 
repeated several times in an impatient way, that showed 
the author was angry that the response did not come. 

Finding he was not observed, Alfredo crouched 
down among the undergrowth and rocks, and waited. 

When the signal was given several times, it ceased, 
and he heard the sound of some one coming up the 
rocks behind him. 

Luckily for the man, he had secured a good hiding- 
place, where he could feel safe against discovery, unless 
the stranger approaching should come directly upon 
him. 

A few seconds had passed, and the fellow was not 
yet in sight when he heard him speak — a fact which 
showed that, instead of one, there were two, and possi- 
bly more, persons. 

The voices were such that he could not make out the 
words, which were few in number. 

237 


238 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

Immediately on the heels of this he heard again, 
more distinctly, their footsteps as they made their way 
up the rocks. 

In a very short time they came to view, and, singu- 
larly enough, took their seats on a broad, flat rock 
within six feet of where Alfredo was crouching into 
the smallest possible space. 

Here they sat awhile like men who were tired. 

There were but the two, who were dressed in rough, 
shaggy suits, despite the mildness of the night, and, so 
far as could be determined in the gloom, they were a 
couple of ugly-looking customers, whom one would 
not care to meet on a lonely road at night. 

By-and-by one of them spoke in the same low, gruff 
tone that had struck the ear of the listener a short time 
before. 

“I wonder where the deuce Pedro has gone? He 
was only a few strokes ahead of us, and must have 
heard me whistle to him.’’ 

This single remark told the interesting fact that 
the couple had seen the canoe which Alfredo took so 
much pains to hide, and they had concluded that it was 
impelled to the spot by one of their own number, who 
for some cause unknown to them, had refused to re- 
spond to their call to him. 

This was rather gratifying, so far as the present was 
concerned, though there was no telling to what compli- 
cations it might lead. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


239 


‘‘ Pedro sometimes gets huffy/’ the man continued, 
'' and won’t take notice of anything at all. What do 
you s’pose he was doing ashore? ” 

Plere was a direct question, and there was no escap- 
ing a reply, which was as brief as it could be made. 

** I don’t know.” 

I guess he was looking to see whether that man 
and his cub had gone away, though Vega told us that 
he went off hours ago, and would not be seen again in 
these parts.” 

Then came some more silence, the companion mak- 
ing no response to the half inquiring remark of the 
other. 

“ It looked a while, so Vega says, as if the person 
was determined to get here sure, but he seems to have 
been scared at something, and is now more anxious to 
leave than he is to stay.” 

This observation was entitled to some comment, and 
the other fellow seemed to conclude that he might as 
well go ahead and say all there was to be said about 
matters and things in general. 

‘‘ It’s a lucky thing for him that he changed his mind, 
for if he got on the island, he would have never got off 
again.” 

The speaker waited till his comrade had fully di- 
gested this, when he added : 

'' I don’t see as there’s any use of our staying here ; 
do you ? ” 


240 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


No.’^ 

Thereupon the two rose to their feet simultaneously, 
and moved off. 

In doing so, they passed so near to the crouching 
eavesdropper that the latter was sure he must be dis- 
covered. 

He could have reached out and touched them with 
either hand. 

The instant they were by, Alfredo rose noiselessly 
to his feet, and without stirring from where he stood, 
gazed after them. 

His intention was to learn the direction they took, 
and then to dog their footsteps, in the hope of learn- 
ing a part of the errand which had brought him to this 
place. 

There was just enough light for him to discern the 
head and shoulders of the two as they walked off with 
heavy steps. 

He waited until they were a few feet further away, 
when he started after them. 

But a disappointment followed. 

At the very moment he was sure of being on their 
track, they vanished from view, disappearing as sud- 
denly as if the earth had opened and swallowed them 
up. 

He paused a minute or two, confident that he would 
see, or at least hear, something more of them. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 241 

But their voices, or, rather, the voice of the one, was 
heard no more, and Alfredo could not escape the con- 
clusion that they would not show themselves again that 
night. 

“ That is a strange proceeding,’' he muttered, as he 
stood puzzling and asking himself whether there was 
anything he could do to unravel the mystery. 

“ I saw them a few minutes ago, right there, and 
they cannot be very far off. The only way in which 
they could give me the slip in that manner was by going 
down.” 

To attempt to learn how this was done was cer- 
tainly a rash and dangerous proceeding, unless he had 
the sunlight to help him. 

After debating the question for a time with himself, 
he ventured to creep forward a short distance, when 
he paused to learn whether there was anything imme- 
diately in his front which would help explain what had 
become of the two men that had disappeared from be- 
fore his very eyes. 

There were rocks and irregular masses of stone all 
around him, just such as he had encountered ever since 
placing foot on the island. 

Lying flat on his face, he reached forward his hands 
and groped around in the gloom, half expecting to And 
the opening which had taken the fellows from his gaze. 

He thought more than once that he had placed his 
hand on something which would tell the story. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


242 

There were pieces of stone which yielded to the 
slightest pressure he exerted, and he fancied these were 
used as a sort of covering to the opening. 

But it was hard to understand, if such were the case, 
how the men managed to vanish not only with such 
suddenness, but without the least noise, so far as he 
could judge. 

Finally, after quite an extended search, he was com- 
pelled to give it up, and conclude that the “ door ” was 
further on. 

“ If such is the fact,” he thought, “ it cannot be any 
great ways, for they did not go much beyond this 
point.” 

He was still lying on his face, feeling every inch of 
the way, for he was determined that he would not be 
led into any trap from which he could not effect an in- 
stant retreat, if it should become necessary to do so. 
He was struck with the looseness and shell-like char- 
acter of the stones over which he was making his way. 

Despite the caution he used, he could not avoid mak- 
ing considerable noise, which he knew could be heard 
some way off, if it so happened that anyone was listen- 
ing. 

In this careful, but uncertain manner, Alfredo gradu- 
ally advanced along the rocks, until he began to suspect 
he had gone as far as were the two men at the time 
they disappeared so suddenly from sight. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


243 


This belief tended to make him as careful in his 
movements as one could be and still really move, but 
the fact that he should discover nothing where no at- 
tempt had been made to conceal anything from him was 
exasperating. 

Alfredo made a sort of horizontal compass of him- 
self, spreading out and taking in all the surface he 
could, while he made the hunt so minute that it would 
have revealed the smallest object. 

He even turned to the right and afterwards to the 
left, under the suspicion that he was passing to one 
side of the opening which had received the men from 
his sight. 

This sort of craw-fishing was continued until he be- 
came certain that he had gone beyond the place for 
which he was searching. 

He had now passed so far that he touched the limit 
of the small plateau along which he had been making 
his careful hunt, and he found himself confronted by 
rugged rock again. 

It being elevated several feet above his head, as well, 
he was forced to rise to his feet. 

This was done with great care, for no man could 
have been more firmly convinced than was he that he 
stood on the most dangerous sort of ground. 

At the very moment of coming to his feet in this 
manner, something like a shadow flitted before his 


244 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


face, so quickly that he could not make sure what the 
real cause was. 

It seemed as if an object had been thrown in front 
of him, or a large bird had whisked so fast that he 
could not see it come or go. 

He stood still again, of course, to listen and use his 
eyes. 

A strange fear took possession of him that it was 
none of these, but a man who was in the very act of 
disappearing at the instant he rose to his feet. 

But for his strong common sense he would have felt 
a superstitious awe. 

The way, as he advanced, now became rougher and 
more difficult of travel than it had been, and more than 
once he doubted whether it was not the wiser part to 
turn about and try some other direction. 

As nearly as he could judge he was very near the 
centre of the island, where he was right among the 
rocks, and surrounded with trees and undergrowth. 

He was creeping along in this manner, when, with 
the suddenness of the lightning stroke, the catastrophe 


came. 


CHAPTER XXVII 


SUBTERRANEAN EXPLORATIONS 

All at once the loose stones over which he was mak- 
ing his way began rattling and moving so rapidly be- 
neath him, that he stopped abruptly, hoping they would 
do the same before the whole island was aroused. 

The noise, on the contrary, increased, and he made 
the alarming discovery that the ground was disappear- 
ing from beneath his feet. 

In such an event, all he could do was to retreat in 
time. 

He made the attempt, his first effort being so hur- 
ried and desperate that his feet slipped, and he fell. 

The fall was fatal to anything like getting away. 

While on his hands and knees, and before he could 
rise, he felt that he was going backwards and down- 
wards, beyond all possibility of recovery. 

All he could do was to utter a prayer and hope that 
he had not far to go, and that there was not much in 
the way of stones and rocks to come after him. 

Alas ! he was disappointed in both prayers. 

The supplication had scarcely taken shape in the 
heart, when his firm support vanished from under him 
and he felt he was falling through the air. 

245 


246 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

No pen can describe the thrilling terror of that fall. 

Those who have been so unfortunate as to travel in- 
voluntarily through space for any distance know how 
much greater it seems than it really is. 

So it was with Alfredo in the present instance. 

Down and down he went until the thought flashed 
through his brain that he had fallen into some excava- 
tion leading to the middle of the earth. 

All around was dizzying blackness — the very black- 
ness of darkness. There was a whirring, ringing sen- 
sation in his ears, strange lights flashed and flickered 
through his brain, he heard wonderful voices calling 
to him through the strangling night; he caught even 
their laughs and jibes over his calamity. 

It seemed as if there were other persons besides him 
traveling downward into the abyss. 

It was as if half a dozen had fallen into a bottomless 
pit, and were thus spinning downward to destruction. 

The humming in his ears became more intense with 
every beat of the throbbing pulse, until it was a roar, 
sounding like the rush of a Niagara. 

He had thrown out his hands, from the instant of 
starting, in the instinctive effort to catch something 
with which to stay his descent, but, failing as he did, 
he gave it over and shot downward like a meteor, 
straight to some unknown point, leagues away. 

He would reach it by-and-by. The downward rush 
could not continue many more hours. 


THROUGH JUNGLE 'AND WILDERNESS 


247 


If he were speeding toward the centre of the earth, 
this velocity must take him there in a few minutes more. 

Such were the wild thoughts that passed through 
his brain. 

It seemed to him that he was minutes and hours in 
making the descent, just as the brain will dream over 
the events of years in a few seconds. And yet, in spite 
of all this, he did not fall so far, and he was not long 
in starting and stopping. 

When Alfredo was sure he was within a few hundred 
feet of the bottom, he was closer than he imagined. 

The check came, and the shock was terrible. 

It seemed to him for an instant that he had been 
caught between two mountains that were rushing to- 
ward each other, and then instantly on the heels of that 
came blank unconsciousness. 

The explorer had no means of determining how long 
he remained in this condition, but it is not likely that 
it was very long, as he was not seriously injured, being 
more shaken up than bruised, though he carried the 
memory of that fall a long time, in the shape of numer- 
ous sore spots on his person. 

The first thing of which Alfredo was conscious was 
the sound of falling water. 

All around was impenetrable darkness, and it was 
some time after he raised his head on his hand before 
he could recall what had taken place and how it was 
he was here. 


248 THROUGH JUNGLE ^AND WILDERNESS 

The first thing was to ascertain to what extent he 
was injured. 

He was severely bruised, and for a time he believed 
that one of his legs was broken. 

Happily, however, he discovered that he was not in- 
capacitated from moving about and using all his limbs. 

He never went abroad without a plentiful supply of 
matches, carried in a little waterproof safe. 

Drawing a wisp of paper from his pocket, he lit one 
corner, and holding the flame above his head, looked 
around with the most intense curiosity to learn into 
what sort of chamber he had fallen. 

The flame gave him more knowledge than he ex- 
pected, and at the same time much less than he de- 
sired. 

The curious part of what he learned was that he 
could not see the opening, nor any sign of it, through 
which he must have come in making his rather hurried 
entrance into these regions. 

The chamber was merely a cavern, and nothing else. 

The floor was nearly level, while the sides were 
jagged and rough, like the walls of some canon or ra- 
vine of the mountains. 

They were separated by a width of a dozen to twenty 
yards, and the underground region, in short, had the 
appearance of a winding ravine, with all the irregulari- 
ties which would have characterized it had it been be- 
neath the surface of the earth. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


249 


Having taken a survey of the upper portion, or roof, 
of the subterranean dwelling, Alfredo hastened to gain 
what knowledge he could of that which was below be- 
fore his torch should expire. 

Behind, the walls seemed to close, so as to bar all 
passage in that direction, while the avenue continued 
on indefinitely in the opposite course. 

While he could see plainly, he started along the cav- 
ern in the only route that was open to him. 

When he made the move his torch was pretty well 
spent, and he could not hope to go far before it would 
expire. But as it was, he managed to run some fifty 
yards, when it dropped in flakes from his hand. 

He was able to see that the way was all clear, how- 
ever, for nearly as far ahead, to which point he ad- 
vanced before stopping. 

Going thus far, he paused again with very little more 
knowledge than when he entered the place. 

He had seen water trickling down one side of the 
cavern, but the greater portion was dry. 

The torch had shown him enough of the cavern to 
satisfy him that the traveling along the interior was 
not so perilous as he had suspected at first, and he made 
up his mind to continue it. 

He had only to persevere and he would come out 
somewhere. 

If he should reach the termination of the cavern, he 


250 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


might be able to climb up the side, where the walls were 
so rugged that it did not look to be a very difficult feat. 

Such were his speculations as he made his way for- 
ward, listening and looking for some clue. 

Alfredo was determined that nothing should escape 
him, and when he heard something which sounded like 
the voices of persons, he paused and listened, anxious 
to find out whether he could locate the point whence 
it came; but they stopped altogether, and so he was 
disappointed. 

His hopes were kept alive, however, < by catching 
sight of something which resembled a misty cloud rest- 
ing against the roof of the cavern. 

At last he concluded that it must be that for which 
he had been seeking — an opening in the top of the 
cavern. 

Now, if there was only some means of climbing to 
it, he would be well out of his trouble. 

But was there any possible ladder to ascend. 

That remained to be seen, but it was very doubtful 
whether he could make his way to it in the darkness. 

But Alfredo was a brave man, not easily discour- 
aged, and he prepared to try it. 

His rifle was secured on his back, so that it would 
not interfere with the freedom of his movements, and 
he began the cautious attempt to make his way up to 
the opening leading to the surface of the island. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


251 


He was encouraged at the start by finding that this 
orifice was seemingly over the wall up which he started, 
instead of being placed between them. 

In the latter case it would have been utterly out of 
his power to reach it. 

Now it was among the possibilities, as it seemed to 
him. 

The wall up which he started was so rough and 
jagged that he found no trouble at the start in grasp- 
ing the projections and sustaining himself. 

“ If it continues like this, I won’t have much trou- 
ble,” he said, after making his way to a point which 
must have been fully one-half the distance between the 
floor and roof. 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


A DESPERATE SCHEME 

It is not often that such good fortune attends a man 
as attended the attempt of Alfredo Alfiero to extricate 
himself from the cavern on the Haunted Island. 

Reaching upward in the gloom, his hand had but to 
grope around for a few seconds, when it came in con- 
tact with some flinty projection, strong enough to sup- 
port his weight with entire safety. 

This was the hardest kind of work, after his fall, 
but he was inspired by the hope of saving his life, and 
there can’t well be any stronger motive than that. 

When he was pretty near the top, he paused to calm 
his nerves and to make a little use of his eyes. 

The good luck had excited him with the desire of 
ending the suspense without waiting the comparatively 
slow process of climbing. 

He wanted to see whether there was a chance of his 
reaching the opening which promised to lead him to 
freedom. 

He found a shelf of rock, broad enough to afford him 
comfortable rest whfe produced his matches. 

His hands tremMM from the exertion, and he came 
near dropping them all to the bottom. 

252 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


253 


When he was calmer, he lit the match, and before 
the little twist of flame was fairly agoing, he raised it 
above his head. A slight puff of wind blew it out. 

'' Better luck next time,’' he said, with a laugh, for 
he had cause to be in good spirits. 

He shaded the second match from a slight draft 
which appeared to be going up out of the cavern, and 
finally raised it above his head, while his eager eyes 
devoured all he could take in. 

The opening upon which he had fixed his hopes was 
no more than a dozen feet at the most, beyond his 
reach, and, so far as he could judge, it was as easy to 
reach it as it was to come any part of the distance he 
had already passed over. 

“ Thank the Lord for His mercies ! ” he exclaimed, 
still holding the tiny flickering match above his head 
and peering upward. ‘‘ This is a great deal better for- 
tune than I had a right to expect, and if ” 

To his unbounded consternation, the report of a rifle 
resounded through the cavern below him, and all doubt 
as to the target was removed by the chipping off of a 
piece of the rock by the bullet, which could scarcely 
have come any closer without hitting him. 

This was alarming, indeed, and showed that there 
were enemies in the cavern below, who had learned of 
the invasion of their Haunted Island by an outsider and 
enemy. 


254 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

Never did a person extinguish a flame more quickly 
than did Alfredo the flickering blaze in his hand. 

He didn^t propose to hold the candle to be shot by. 

He concluded at once that the voices he had heard 
were those of persons in the cavern with him — they 
having learned of his presence from the torch and 
matches he had lighted, with no thought of any danger 
incurred in doing so. 

This looked as if there was some other means of 
ingress and egress, of which he had yet to learn. 

That, however, was less important than the neces- 
sity of getting out as soon as he could. 

A stranger would have been at great disadvantage 
in a contest with one who was familiar with such a 
battle-ground as this, and Alfredo had no desire of 
staying there and entering into a dispute over it. 

With renewed energy he began climbing toward the 
opening again, and in a few seconds was within reach 
of the margin, by which he hoped to swing himself 
into freedom and safety. 

He was not very easy over the fear that when the 
villains below should find the opening pretty well filled 
by the body of the enemy at whom they had already 
fired, they would give him another volley. 

The single shot showed such skill that he was afraid 
to make himself the target for any more. 

Nevertheless, it had to be encountered, and time was 
that precious that he did not hesitate. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


255 

The instant he could reach the edge of the opening, 
he grasped it with a firm hold, and swung off over the 
darkness of the cavern below. 

There was one dreadful moment, when he thought 
his hands were losing their hold, but he recovered 
quickly, and with a powerful effort drew his body up- 
ward, so that it rested on the surface of the ground. 

This was the second when he believed he was par- 
ticularly exposed to a shot from beneath, and he put 
forth every ounce of strength at his command. 

There was no report of any gun, and he speedily 
placed himself out of all peril from any one in the cav- 
ern. 

Thank God ! he murmured again, realizing what 
a remarkable escape he had effected, and half con- 
vinced at the same time that it was his duty to leave 
the Haunted Island and let some fully equipped expedi- 
tion take it in hand. 

The sky had grown somewhat lighter during his ab- 
sence, but there was a great deal of shadow from the 
trees, so that the light penetrated only here and there. 

Having come out through a very different hole than 
that by which he entered, Alfredo found himself com- 
pletely at a loss, for a time, to tell where he was. 

So far as he could judge, he was quite near the shore, 
for he caught the gleam of water among the trees, and 
he made his way toward it. 


256 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


“ This isn’t the place where I landed, I am sure,” he 
said to himself, when he reached the margin and had a 
little time to look around. 

No one would have supposed, in standing where he 
was, that there had been any one on the island for 
years, for the night and scene were as calm as if the 
spot had never been invaded by the foot of man. 

Alfredo was able, after a time, to fix in his mind the 
spot where he landed, which was on the opposite side 
the island. 

He made his way there, with all the caution he had 
learned was necessary in this place, and he struck the 
shore again without having encountered anything to 
excite his alarm. 

As it happened, he found the very place where he had 
drawn up the canoe, but not the boat itself. 

That had vanished. 

“ So my retreat is cut off,” he said to himself. “ It 
looks as if the only way in which I can reach shore is 
by swimming.” 

Before doing that, he thought it was best to try 
and hunt awhile, to see whether there was not some 
available boat within his reach. 

The night was far advanced by this time, and it was 
one of the strangest things connected with this busi- 
ness, that where there was such evidence of many per- 
sons being on the island he should encounter so few. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


257 


While he was wondering over the fact, he was roused 
to greater caution by hearing evidence of some one 
embarking near at hand. 

Just beyond a pile of rocks were several parties mak- 
ing ready to launch a boat, and Alfredo crept forward 
to the top of the mass and peered over. 

The space here was open. 

There were exactly a half dozen men, that seemed 
to have just come down to the shore, where they were 
talking a few minutes before leaving. 

Now and then he could make out a word, but not 
enough to form any idea of the subject to which it re- 
ferred. 

None of the party had entered the boat, though one 
stood with both hands on the prow, as if awaiting the 
order to shove it into the water. 

The other five were close together, talking in low 
tones, as if on purpose to prevent what they said being 
heard by eavesdroppers. 

One fact struck Alfredo, who was so intent on learn- 
ing all that he could that he observed many small things 
which he would have passed over at other times. 

The man who was standing closer to him than any 
of the others bore some resemblance in height and 
dress to himself. 

His coat, hat, and general “ get up Alfredo recog- 
nized as his own, and he thought it would be no dif- 


258 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

ficult matter for one to pass for the other in the dark, 
as both spoke the same language. 

The party were very much interested in something 
they were discussing, for they kept it up a long while, 
though, much to Alfredo’s vexation, they avoided get- 
ting their voices up to the point of allowing him to be- 
come acquainted with what they meant. 

The man who was leaning on the prow of the canoe 
became tired, and straightened up for awhile, and then 
took his seat on the land. 

The discussion continued some minutes longer, when 
the man who had attracted the interest of Alfredo by 
his resemblance to himself abruptly turned about and 
walked away among the rocks, in the rear of the eaves- 
dropper. 

As he moved off the watcher heard him say some- 
thing to the effect that he would be back again in a 
short time. 

The rather strange combination of events suggested 
a rash project to Alfredo — one which, if he had taken 
time to consider, he would never have attempted. 

It was to take the place of the man who resembled 
himself. 

Everything, it will be seen, conspired to make the 
project a success. 

Besides the similarity in person and dress to which 
we have referred, there was that in the departure of 
the man which invited such a mad scheme. 


THROUGH JUNGLE 'AND WILDERNESS 


259 


Alfredo waited till the man had been out of sight 
several minutes, for to rush down immediately would 
attract more attention than he cared about facing just 
then. 

The rest of the company disposed themselves to 
await the return of the one of their number who had 
disappeared for a short time. 

Suddenly what seemed to be the very man himself 
came over the rocks, making his way down over the 
same path by which he had left. 

The instant Alfredo was seen, and when he was 
within a rod of the party, the thought came over him 
that he was doing the rashest thing of his life. 

He hesitated a minute, and was on the point of turn- 
ing about, when one of the men addressed him : 

“ What is the matter ? 

Even then he might have made a trivial excuse for 
turning away, and could have reached a safe distance 
without their suspecting anything wrong until after he 
was out of sight. 

But, what was a rare thing with him, he was con- 
fused, and he thought it would be fatal to retreat, 
thinking so until it was really too late to withdraw. 

“ Nothing is the matter,'' he answered, in the most 
indifferent manner, sauntering down to the water's 
edge. 

‘‘ Are you ready to go ? " asked the man near the 
prow, rising to his feet and awaiting his orders. 


a6o THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

Yes, get in and shove off/' 

There followed a general scrambling, and in a few 
minutes all were within the boat, which was large 
enough to carry double the number. 

Alfredo was among the first to enter, and he took 
his seat near the stern, trying to cover up and hide his 
face as much as he could, for with every moment that 
passed the conviction became stronger that he was at- 
tempting a game too desperate to succeed. 

It was plain as yet that they had not been excited by 
anything in his manner and appearance different from 
what was anticipated. 

There was no telling how soon some inadvertence 
of Alfredo would expose it all. 

Suppose the right man should come down to the edge 
of the lake and hail them for leaving him in this style, 
what an interesting complication would follow! 

Suppose one of the five who were so close to him 
should press Alfredo with questions which he could 
not answer, how surely he would betray himself 1 

There was enough light, when they were placed thus 
close together, to see each other's faces quite distinctly, 
and what more probable than that the first one who 
addressed him directly should look him so squarely in 
the countenance that there could be no failure to see 
that he was another man altogether? 

In the very probable event of such a betrayal, all 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 261 


escape was cut off, from the fact that they were on the 
lake, where the single man had no means of hiding 
himself, and was deprived of the miserable consolation 
of using his bruised and aching legs with which to flee. 


CHAPTER XXIX 


IN THE FURNACE 

Alfredo felt that he deserved the worst conse- 
quences of his rashness, which feeling, however, did 
not lessen his desire to get out of the difficulty, if there 
was any in which to do it. 

He crouched down in the stern of the canoe, vailing 
his face as much as possible, and there was a chance 
that he might avoid too close scrutiny, so long as the 
suspicion of the men remained quiet. 

It would seem that the tones of his voice ought to 
have attracted attention, but they had not, thus far. 

The man was so apprehensive on this score, that he 
resolved to keep silence henceforth. 

Considering himself a sort of leader of the party, no 
one would deny his right to be silent if he chose, and 
it is deemed more consistent, as a rule, that the direc- 
tor of an expedition should keep his own counsels 
rather than impart them to his subordinates. 

While these thoughts were rushing through the 
brain of Alfredo, two of the men were using the pad- 
dles with an easy dexterity that kept the canoe moving 
steadily through the water in the direction of the main- 
land. 


262 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 263 

The silent man in the stern ached to order them to 
use their paddles with greater vigor, but he was afraid 
to do so, and he held his peace. 

The men, as they advanced, kept up a desultory talk 
among themselves, and Alfredo listened to every sylla- 
ble. 

At first there was nothing said of any special inter- 
est, but it was not long before he found that it bore a 
direct reference to him. 

These men all seemed to know that the island had 
been visited that night by a man whom they considered 
had no business there. 

They rejoiced in the belief that he would not be able 
to return and tell of his exploits, though they did not 
know what had befallen him while attempting the ex- 
ploration of the Haunted Island. 

“ They are all watching for him,’^ said one, “ and 
he cannot get away; the moment he approaches the 
shore, that moment will he be seized and compelled to 
die the death of all those who attempt to invade our 
place and home.'' 

“ They may find him before he reaches the shore," 
said one of those who were using the paddles. 

“ They are hunting over the island for him, and they 
may do so; the fellow was cunning enough to make 
Vega think he had given up all thought of visiting the 
island, and so threw that stupid Vega off his guard." 


264 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

Alfredo was curious to learn by what means they 
had learned that he was upon the island. 

The great fear of Alfredo was that the other fellow 
might appear on the shore behind them, and by a halloo 
make the whole plot known to them, and thus precipi- 
tate the destruction of himself. 

He was in a torture of anxiety, and expected to hear 
his voice every minute, while, as he peered forward in 
the gloom, he could catch no sight of the shore, which 
seemed to recede as they advanced. 

His suffering in this respect finally reached that point 
that he said, in a low voice : 

“ Row faster; you will not reach land till morning 
at this rate.” 

“ And you said on shore that there was no need of 
going there till daylight,” was the rather impertinent 
but crushing response of one of the oarsmen. 

This was unexpected to Alfredo, who would not 
have made the remark had he anticipated any such re- 
ply as that. 

But he was equal to the occasion. 

‘‘ That was before we started ; now we are on the 
way, and we may as well go faster than the snail.” 

This produced the desired effect. 

The two men dipped their paddles deeper, and the 
canoe immediately increased its speed. 

It certainly was a wonderful thing that, besides the 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 265 

resemblance between the outer appearance of Alfredo 
and the man whom he had never before seen, there 
should also be such a similarity in their voices. 

That there was such a resemblance was self-evident, 
else he would not have escaped detection so long. 

However, there are no two voices that are exactly 
alike, though not unfrequently they are found with a 
remarkable resemblance to each other. 

There are minor tones and shades of modulation that 
are always sure to betray the truth in the end, and it 
was, therefore, not only wise, but imperatively neces- 
sary, that Alfredo should keep as quiet as he could, 
without arousing suspicion by such silence. 

For a few minutes succeeding this command, there 
was complete quiet in the canoe. 

The men seemed to gain the idea that their leader 
was not in the best of humor, and they held their peace 
for a while. 

The leader^' himself was a little suspicious that 
this silence boded ill, and signified that they had learned 
the truth. 

But Alfredo was morbidly suspicious. 

Such could not have been the case, as a watchful eye 
would have detected the evidences of the truth among 
the Mexicans, who were so greatly the superiors in 
strength of the single man sitting in the stern of the 
boat. 


266 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

As often as he dared, Alfredo looked longingly for- 
ward through the gloom, in the prayerful hope that 
he might catch sight of the dark outlines of the shore. 

He had become convinced, before this, that they were 
heading for a point very far removed from where he 
had embarked earlier in the evening. 

He cared nothing for that ; all he asked was that he 
might gain the chance to place his feet once more on the 
hard land, and he would lose little time in parting com- 
pany with these characters. 

As the minutes wore away, this hope increased, and 
he began to believe that if the man did not appear on 
the island behind them and call out, there was a possi- 
bility of his escaping, after all. 

As he looked at it, all now depended on that. 

Thus far Alfredo had escaped questioning, but he 
was not to be spared the rest of the way. 

While he was peering forward in the gloom, hoping 
to catch a glimpse of the mainland, the one who sat 
nearest him suddenly turned his head and asked: 

‘‘ Did you see Vega to-day? ’’ 

Yes.’’ 

Did you speak to him about that ? 

Yes.” 

What did he say? ” 

Nothing special. It is all right” 

The questioner acted as if he was not exactly sat- 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 267 

isfied with this reply, but he did not press for a more 
explicit explanation. 

Alfredo was alarmed at the occurrence, but he hoped 
to be spared anything more of the kind, until he would 
have a chance to give them the slip by way of answer. 

But the hope had scarcely taken shape when another 
fellow in the furthest part of the canoe put in a ques- 
tion. 

“ What shall we do when we get on shore ? ” 

Alfredo was getting desperate. He could not stand 
this. Unless it was checked pretty summarily an ex- 
plosion was inevitable. 

His lips had parted with the purpose of making a 
sharp reply, suggesting to the questioner that the best 
thing he could do was to do nothing, when the man 
came unexpectedly to his relief by adding a supplement 
to his inquiry. 

Will we go on or wait there? ’’ 

Wait.’’ 

There! that matter was settled, and he prayed that 
he would be left in peace. 

Again he leaned forward and peered through the 
gloom, but still the welcome sight failed to meet his 
eye. But he was sure the greater part of the distance 
had been passed, and they ought to touch mainland in 
a few minutes more. 

Silence followed, during which nothing was heard 


268 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

but the almost noiseless dip of the paddle and the re- 
sponsive shooting forward of the canoe. 

The hopes of Alfredo were at the highest point, when 
a shiver of horror passed over him, and he felt as if 
smitten on the head by a cannon-ball. 

From across the lake came a sound of some one call- 
ing. He could not mistake its meaning. 

There was but the single expression, which in Span- 
ish is equivalent to the hail : Halloo ! 

Good heavens ! was there no way in which he could 
escape the precipice before him ? 

As if to make the torture the greater, he caught sight 
of the shore in front. 

A few more strokes, and the canoe would be carried 
there. But the two who held the paddles in their hand 
stopped the instant they heard the voice, and, like all 
the others, listened, not suspecting what it meant. 

Had their suspicions been awakened, they would 
have detected the meaning of it all by the sound of the 
voice. 

As it was, it puzzled them, but they saw nothing 
more. Something additional was needed to explain it. 

Alfredo felt that that additional something would 
be given in a moment more, and it would never do to 
wait and listen in this style. 

“ Paddle ! ” he commanded, and the men resumed 
their work. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 269 


The shore came out plainer to view as it was ap- 
proached. Again across the lake came the sound of 
that voice : “ Halloo ! ” 

Alfredo was in the fiery furnace. 

With the land only a few yards away, he meant not 
to fail now. The voice on shore was not recognized. 

But Alfredo expected each instant that he would add 
some inquiry as to why they did not respond, in which 
case they would be sure to see that it was their real 
leader who was hailing them. 

Had they not already discovered that fact? 


CHAPTER XXX 


RUNNING FOR LIFE 

“ Row faster,” said Alfredo, impatiently, for it 
seemed to him that the men with the paddles would 
never reach the land. 

The two Mexicans continued swinging their paddles, 
but the occasion was one of those when seconds are 
hours, and hours become eternity. 

But scarcely the length of the canoe intervened be- 
tween it and the shore, when the man left on the island 
called out for the third time, hiS' voice being pitched in 
so high and savage a key, that it resounded across the 
lake like the notes of a trumpet. 

“ Halloo ! what do you mean ? Why do you not an- 
swer my hail ? ” 

Strange thoughts must have rushed to the brain of 
the five men in the boat upon hearing these words, and 
Alfredo was in that desperate mood that he could not 
reason calmly and decide what he ought to do. 

The men ceased paddling, but the impulse which the 
canoe had already gained was enough to send it gently 
forward until the prow touched the shore. 

Between Alfredo and the dry land was the boat with 
the five men in his path. 


270 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


271 


To leave the craft, it was necessary to go by all of 
these, for only just the forward part of the canoe 
touched. 

The two immediately in front began talking in a low 
voice, and Alfredo caught enough to feel that their sus- 
picions were excited. 

The rest of the crew were unable to understand what 
it all meant. 

The explorer saw that the only chance of getting 
away was by leaving at once. 

He rose to his feet, his nerves seeming to be all steel, 
now that the crisis was upon him. 

Without a word, he stepped between the men, all 
making room for him, and affected by the spell which 
remained with the half belief, or, at least, the doubt, 
as to his identity. 

Alfredo knew better than to show any haste or ex- 
citement now, when every eye was upon him, and when 
all depended on his showing the coolness of a veteran. 

He expected they would bar his progress, as he 
picked his way along with such care and tardiness. 

He was resolved that, if they did, he would make a 
leap for land, and shoot down whoever interposed. 

At last he placed his foot on the gunwale, and one 
bound carried him ashore. 

At this moment the two who were consulting in the 
Stern of the boat gained an idea of the facts, helped 


27a 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


thereto by some peculiarity of voice, appearance, or 
manner. 

“ Hold on there ! called out one of them, as they 
both rose to their feet ; we would speak to you, sehor.” 

But sehor concluded that he wouldn’t speak just then. 
He was on land, and there he meant to stay, so long 
as he could. 

Instead, therefore, of stopping, he walked the faster 
toward the wood, which, fortunately, was abundant 
in this place. 

“ Shoot him ! Kill him ! He is an impostor ! called 
out the same man, springing ashore in pursuit. 

But the fugitive had gained a good start, and he im- 
proved it to the utmost. 

The summons of the Mexican told him that he was 
detected, and all that remained was to use his legs as 
well as he knew how. Which he proceeded to do. 

The moon was rising as he made the plunge for free- 
dom, but there was so much shadow that it made little 
difference, so far as concealing himself was concerned. 

He was no more than fairly started, when he heard 
his enemies close behind him, and matters were made 
more lively by the cracking of revolvers. 

The pursuers were not disposed to give the fugitive 
any advantage at all. 

Alfredo did not care to ask any, though some of the 
bullets came a great deal closer than was comfortable. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


27S 

The roughness of the path was decidedly in favor 
of Alfredo. 

By leaping from one point to another and dodging 
here and there, he distracted their aim, if nothing more, 
while he was on the watch for some good place that 
would serve as a concealment. 

He tore forward like a deer fleeing before the hunt- 
er’s dogs, caring nothing whither he went, so that it 
took him away from his enemies. 

The pursuers did not forget to pop away with their 
pistols, so that the fugitive had every possible motive 
to make the best time he could. 

Every few minutes Alfredo looked over his shoulder 
at the men who were determined on taking his life. 

He had gained, and unless something unexpected 
should intervene, he stood a good chance of getting 
away altogether. 

He dared not wait much longer, but after darting 
around a rock, he made several bounds, and threw him- 
self flat on his face behind another, where there was a 
species of matted undergrowth and vines particularly 
favorable to concealment. 

So close was the pursuit, that he had barely time to 
get himself in position, when he heard the footsteps 
and saw the figures of the men coming in almost a di- 
rect line for the spot where he was hid. . 

His first impulse was to spring up and dart off again. 


274 


THROUGH JUNGLE 'AND WILDERNESS 


but that would have been fatal, for they were so near 
that they would have had no trouble in sending more 
than one bullet through him, even if they should fail 
to catch him. 

So he lay still and took his chances. 

So near did one of the Mexicans pass that he came 
within a hair’s-breadth of stepping on Alfredo, who 
held his breath in suspense. 

But he went by, followed immediately by the others, 
none of whom seemed to suspect that the fugitive had 
stopped running. 

Alfredo remained motionless until they had van- 
ished, when he sprang up, and in a crouching position 
ran some little distance at right angles to the course he 
had been following. 

He was well aware that the Mexicans would speedily 
detect the ruse played upon them, and would be back to 
search for him. 

Had he remained where he was, he would have run 
great risk of being found ; hence his change of base, for 
he had not gone a hundred feet, when he heard signals 
which told that the pursuers were again close at hand. 

But Alfredo gained much advantage from his course, 
and there was no need for his running into the peril 
from which he had escaped by such a narrow chance. 

He was so far removed from where the men were 
searching, that he could keep on stealing along with- 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


275 

out being seen or heard, and he took the occasion to in- 
crease the distance between himself and them. 

As soon as he could feel anything like safety, he 
stole along in the direction of the lake, intending to 
reach the point where he had left the canoe. 

After what had taken place, he felt like paying back 
the Mexicans for the persistency with which they had 
tried to take or shoot him. 

His intention was to destroy or injure the canoe in 
such a way that it could not be used in returning to the 
island. 

Almost at the same moment, he caught the outlines 
of a smaller canoe heading toward the same spot, and 
containing a single individual. 

He knew at once who this person was. 

It was his “ double,” who, growing tired at the in- 
difference shown him by his men, had started out to 
learn the cause, and, perhaps, chastise the guilty ones. 

Any one could have told he was mad from the way 
he swung the paddle, the boat skimming over the water 
like a swallow. 

Alfredo carefully drew his revolver, with the inten- 
tion of shooting him ; but, as it seemed to him that such 
a proceeding was too much like murder, he kept back 
and watched the man. 

The instant the boat touched shore the man sprang 
out and made off in pursuit of a party whose precise 
location he knew nothing about. 


276 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

“If there was any way in which to make him more 
furious than he is, I would do it,” said Alfredo, amused 
at the turn the business had taken, “ for I would like 
him to tear around when he catches sight of them. I 
would wish that he could be so mad that he wouldn’t 
stop to hear explanatons, but just bang right and left 
as soon as he gets the chance.” 

But the man was gone, and Alfredo was once more 
left to himself. 

“ I will leave my card, just to let them know I have 
been here,” he said, as he drew his knife and proceeded 
to carve the larger canoe in such a style that it was 
quickly rendered useless, so far as the owners were 
concerned. 

After this, he completed his work by cutting such 
a hole in the bottom that it began to fill with water, and 
when he shoved it from shore, it went almost immedi- 
ately to the bottom, carrying considerable property, 
which was not likely to be heard of again. 

Having left this evidence of his feelings, he went as 
deliberately to work to scuttle the smaller boat. 

This required but a few minutes, and then he rested, 
content. 

“ I suppose they have other boats with which they 
can visit the island when they wish to do so, but there 
is a good deal of satisfaction in giving vent to a fel- 
low’s feelings in such an expressive style as that.” 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


27<7 

Alfredo had made up his mind that, as he was well 
clear of the haunted place, he would stay so. 

The visit made there had showed him the utter folly 
of arraying himself against a company of desperate 
outlaws, and he could not be too happy at his escape. 

His intention was to stay where he was for a while, 
and at daylight make his way back to the place where 
he had left Jack Winch, and with him start for Vera 
Cruz, not pausing unnecessarily on the way till he 
reached there. 

He had had enough of this country to be satisfied, 
and when accompanied by such a small fellow as his 
nephew, he felt it was wrong to tempt Fate as he had 
done repeatedly. 

He would have sought Jack out without delay, but 
he was too unfamiliar with the lake to make his way 
along its shore with any certainty. 

To attempt to communicate with him by signal 
would be quite certain to betray him to the Mexicans, 
who were searching so diligently for him. 

And then,'' he added to himself, “ at this time of 
night Jack is sound asleep, and it would take a steam- 
whistle to rouse him ; so, on the whole, the best thing 
I can do is to await the rising of the sun." 


CHAPTER XXXI 


AN ALARMING DISCOVERY — A DISAPPOINTMENT 

Fearful that he might fall asleep if he staid where 
he was, and be found by the Mexicans on their return, 
he began to cautiously withdraw from the place, with 
the purpose of finding a spot where he could rest in se- 
curity, when he caught sight of them returning to their 
landing-place. 

They came out from the wood like so many phan- 
toms, and approached the spot where they expected to 
find the two boats. 

They walked down to the spot, and then paused in 
silence. 

They seemed to think — at least some of them did — 
that they had made a mistake in the locality, and there 
were some whispered words of consultation. 

But a minute or two were enough to satisfy them 
that there was no error. 

And then there was confusion, indeed ! 

There was hurrying to and fro, and the air became 
heavy with imprecations and threats of vengeance. 

They took no pains, now, to lower their voices, but 
all were speaking at the same time. 

278 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


279 


There could be no mistake, either, as to the cause of 
the sudden disappearance of their canoes. 

They had been outwitted at every point, and all that 
was -left for them was to swallow their chagrin, and 
rage as best they could. 

They took their disappointment with ill grace, and 
stamped and tore around like famishing animals de- 
prived of their prey. 

And all the time the author of their misery was 
crouching among the rocks and undergrowth, striving 
with might and main to avoid exposing himself by 
laughing outright. 

The men were anxious to make their way back to 
the Haunted Island, and as there was no means at hand 
for doing so, they finally took themselves off in quest of 
other boats, that were doubtless moored somewhere 
along the lake. 

The watcher waited where he was until they were 
beyond sight and hearing, when he sought out a more 
secure place, and stowed himself away until morning. 

He did not feel exactly at ease concerning Jack 
Winch, whose anxiety, he feared, would lead him to do 
something which would cause his detection by the out- 
laws. 

However, he recollected that he had told the boy 
that he would perhaps be away until morning, and he 
hoped that he would stay where he had been left until 
his return. 


28 o through jungle AND WILDERNESS 

And so, with a prayer unto Heaven for its protec- 
tion over both, he composed himself for sleep, and was 
soon unconscious. 

When he awoke, day had dawned, and the sun was 
well up in the sky, and he felt as hungry as a bear. 

But, before attempting to secure anything in the way 
of food, he determined to find Jack and to get him 
away from a neighborhood that had become doubly 
dangerous since the performances of the night. 

Accordingly, he started off at once. 

It was a good while before he could tell where he 
was, and settle in his mind the place of their first night^s 
encampment. 

He hit it at last, finding it exactly where he didn^t 
expect to find it, as is generally the case ; and then, tak- 
ing that as the starting point, he was able, after much 
difficulty, to decide where he had parted company with 
Jack. When this was solved, he was vexed at his own 
stupidity in not seeing it before. 

There it was, as it had been in plain sight all the 
time, the rock being so prominent that it ought to have 
attracted his eye at once. 

It will be nigh noon before I can reach that place, 
he muttered. 

He had not been able to bestow much attention on 
the lake and Haunted Island, but he now took a look 
to see whether any of his enemies were visible. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


281 


There was nothing, so far as he could discover, to 
cause alarm. 

The way to the rendezvous seemed much longer and 
more difficult to travel than on the preceding day, when 
he went over it with Jack. 

Still, he made better progress than he anticipated, 
and he reached the place before noon. 

Before making the spot, he gave the signal to his 
young friend, repeating it a number of times. 

In no instance did he receive a single response. 

The uneasiness, therefore, of the man deepened, and 
the conviction became strong upon him that the lad had 
left the spot. 

Just then, he was thrilled by hearing his signal an- 
swered from a point but a short distance away. 

Thank heaven for that ! ” was his fervent excla- 
mation. 

Alfredo instantly repeated the call, and, as he antici- 
pated, it was responded to with the same promptness 
shown on previous occasions. 

And then the fellow repeated it several times on his 
own hook. 

“ That shows that it’s Jack,” the man said, with a 
laugh. ‘‘ When he goes into the signaling business, he 
does so with his full heart. He is coming this way, 
too.” 

Within the succeeding five minutes the whistle struck 


382 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


the ear of Alfredo half a dozen times, and in each in- 
stance it was nearer than before. 

Of course he was hardly less prompt in responding, 
so as to prevent the boy from going astray. 

He also walked toward him. 

The next minute he heard a movement among the 
undergrowth, and then the bushes parted, but it was 
not Jack Winch, but a man and a stranger, who stepped 
forth. 

Alfredo was so taken aback for a time, that he stood 
dumfoundered, and had the stranger chosen to harm 
him, he could have done so with perfect ease. 

As soon as possible Alfredo rallied, and his amaze- 
ment was succeeded by a feeling of indignation, that 
this fellow should have presumed to personate such a 
noble little boy as Jack Winch. 

Alfredo knew further, before a word was spoken, 
that this man was one of the villains who belonged to 
the Haunted Island. 

He half suspected that he belonged to the party that 
had paddled him ashore the preceding night, and that 
he had been left on the mainland to look for him. 

The individual affected surprise. 

The first shock over, he saluted Alfredo with all the 
politeness for which the upper classes among the Span- 
ish are noted. 

In acknowledgment of his salutation, Alfredo de- 
manded ; 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 283 

Why did you answer my call to another ? ” 

Pardon me, but I might ask why you answered 
my call to a friend. I was listening for such a whistle 
as you made, when it fell on my ears, and I replied. 
Then you called again, and in accordance with a cus- 
tom which I and my friend have, I repeated it several 
times.'' 

Alfredo knew this was a falsehood, though he could 
not but admit it was an ingenious one. 

Nothing could convince him that there were any two 
persons in the world who called to each other in the 
way and manner that he and Jack did. Still he judged 
it best not to dispute the man for the time. 

‘‘ Where is your friend? " asked Alfredo. 

I parted from him last night, and set out this morn- 
ing to meet him. I wonder much at his absence; we 
ought to have come together long ago." 

“ Where did you spend last night? " 

The stranger, who carried his rifle and pistols the 
same as most of the specimens of humanity encoun- 
tered in this part of the world, turned his head and 
pointed up the mountain behind him. 

“ There we encamped, and we agreed to start this 
forenoon hunting in the lake, which cannot be done, 
because the forenoon is about gone." 

Do you know the island is haunted ? " asked Al- 
fredo, looking sharply at the fellow, in the hope of 
catching him in some of his falsehoods, 


284 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS. 

The man started as if astonished, and stared at the 
questioner. 

I have heard that there is some such place, but I 
didn’t know that I was so near.” 

“ That you are, and the best thing for you to do is 
to leave.” 

‘‘ So I think,” and without another word, he turned 
about and hurried away among the rocks and trees 1 

This was unexpected to Alfredo, who was suspicious 
of treachery, and who believed that the man had some 
scheme in view in leaving him in such an abrupt man- 
ner. 

Alfredo himself did not stay where he was, but made 
his way along the lake to another rock, upon which he 
clambered with the purpose of taking an observation. 

Lying flat on his face he pointed his telescope in the 
direction of the Haunted Island and had studied the 
place but a moment, when he cried : 

“ Can it be possible ? Alas, it is too true ! ” 

Young Jack Winch was on the Haunted Island I 

The prospect was so disheartening that he was half 
disposed to give it up, and making his way to the near- 
est town, open negotiations for the ransom of the lad. 
Were the circumstances any different, he would have 
done this, but he was impressed with the terrible dread 
that the outlaws were so enraged that they would not 
wait. 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS iSs 

In the faint hope of arresting Jack before he passed 
from view, Alfredo whistled across the lake to the lad, 
but the distance was such that he could not have heard 
or recognized it, for he made no sign, and the next mo- 
ment he was gone. 

It would seem hardly possible that Jack could have 
made his way to the island at midday, as he had done, 
without detection from the enemies of himself and un- 
cle. 

And yet the latter was not without hope that he 
could open communication with the little fellow before 
the Mexicans laid violent hands on him. 

Jack had discussed with him the necessity of keep- 
ing clear of these men, and though he had run great 
risk in approaching the island as he did, he would make 
partial amends by using the greater precaution after 
landing. 

However, this was all conjecture, and to do any- 
thing it was necessary that he should also secure a 
boat. 

Accordingly, he left the place in quest of one. 

Alfredo was sorely perplexed, being in that distress- 
ing state of mind which one has when he cannot be 
certain that he is following the best course for him. 

He was more successful than he anticipated at the 
beginning, for he had gone but a short distance when 
he came upon the tiniest canoe which he had yet seen. 


286 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 


Only by the merest accident did he discover it, it be- 
ing drawn up among some dense undergrowth where 
he struck his foot against it as he was passing by. 

Well, now, that’s what I call lucky 1 ” he exclaimed, 
with a slight thrill of hope. “ I was afraid I would 
have to spend an hour or two in hunting for a boat, and 
here it is.” 

An examination showed that it was made of bark, 
very delicate and graceful in structure, and had not 
been in the water for some time. 

Near by lay a small paddle, so that it was complete 
and ready for use. 

When Alfredo placed it in the water, he saw that its 
buoyancy was just sufficient to bear his weight. 

It had evidently been made for the use of a single 
person, and he doubted whether it was sufficient to 
carry Jack in addition to himself. 

He was disposed to believe that the frail craft be- 
longed to some female — some queen of the haunted 
isle, perhaps. 

The question was as to how he should reach the spot 
of land in the middle of the lake. 

He was busy conjuring up some scheme by which 
he could play a sort of Indian trick upon the outlaws, 
and deceive them while making his way to the island. 

His idea was that he might place himself in the bot- 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 287 


tom of the small canoe, there being, just enough room, 
and paddle the boat without allowing himself to be seen. 

Carefully stepping within, he adjusted himself as 
carefully as if he were a package of nitro-glycerine, 
and at last shoved the boat from shore. 

After drifting along for a distance of a hundred 
yards, he pointed the muzzle of his field-glass over the 
edge of the canoe and scrutinized the Haunted Island. 
It was so important that no mistake should be made, 
that he determined not to allow the smallest thing to 
escape him. 

But the result was as favorable as he could expect. 

The island, as far as he could tell, looked precisely 
as it did when he first contemplated it. 

There was not the sign of life on or about it. 

From this fact he felt warranted in concluding that 
he had not been detected by any one upon the island. 

He now changed the course of the craft, so that, 
while still avoiding a direct approach to the land, he 
was nearer to doing so than before. 

This was kept up for some distance before he re- 
sorted to his telescope again. 

Being closer than before, Alfredo felt that the dan- 
ger of the situation was greater than ever, and he could 
not be too cautious. 

It would have been hard for the most stealthy Indian 
to have stirred anywhere along the shore of the island 


288 THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 

while he was making his scrutiny without betraying 
himself. 

Beginning at the right hand corner, at the furthest 
point in his field of vision, he carefully examined every 
portion as it came up under the object glass. 

In this way nothing escaped him, and when he had 
finished, he turned and went back over the same 
ground. 

Still the result was as encouraging as before. 

The explorer could not be exactly satisfied, even 
though he was encouraged, for all this absence of life 
to the eye was no proof that it was not there. 

It was no proof, either, that there were not a half- 
dozen Mexicans, with gleaming knives and eager eyes, 
waiting until he should approach so nigh that he could 
not retreat. 

The situation, at the best, was of the gravest charac- 
ter, as he fully realized while he continued making his 
way over the lake in the direction of the Haunted 
Island. 

It was strange that during all this time Alfredo 
never once had detected the least sign of life, when 
there could be scarcely a doubt that there were several 
persons on the island. 

An experienced Indian scout would have seen some- 
thing suspicious in the very absence of life. 

But he was timid and hopeful, and he continued 


THROUGH JUNGLE AND WILDERNESS 289 


pushing his way along in this cautious manner until 
he was within a hundred yards. 

Feeling it useless to loiter any more, he now headed 
straight for shore, and in a few minutes his canoe 
touched the bank at a point where he could land with- 
out difficulty. 

And he landed the next moment. 

Strange it was that, during all this time, when he had 
kept such close watch upon the shore in front, it had 
never occurred to him to cast one look at the rear, at 
the shore he had left. 


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in Cuba under General Shafter. How the hero finally escapes 
makes reading no wide-awake boy will want to miss. 

A SAILOR BOY WITH DEWEY; or, Afloat in the Philippines 

The story of Dewey’s victory in Manila Bay will never grow 
old, but here we have it told in a new form — not as those in com- 
mand witnessed the contest, but as it appeared to a real, live 
American youth who was in the navy at the time. Many ad- 
ventures in Manila and in the interior follow, giving true-to-life 
scenes from this remote portion of the globe, A book that 
should be in every boy’s library. 

OFF FOR HAWAII ; or, The Mystery of a Great Volcano 

Here we have fact and romance cleverly interwoven. Several 
boys start on a tour of the Hawaiian Islands. They have heard 
that there is a treasure located in the vicinity of Kilauea, the 
largest active volcano in the world, and go in search of it. 
Their numerous adventures will be followed with much interest. 


PBESS OPINIONS OF CAPTAIN BONEHILL’S BOOKS POE BOYS 

“Captain Bonehill’s stories will always be popular with our boys, for the reason 
that they are thoroughly up-to-date and true to hfe. As a writer of outdoor tales he 
has no rival.” — Bri0tt Days. 

“ The story is by Captain Ralph Bonehill, and that is all that need be said about it, 
for all of our readers know that the captain is one of America’s best story-tellers, so 
far as stories for young people go .” — Young People of America, 

“ The story is excellently told, and will please any intelligent boy into whose hands 
it may fall .” — Charleston (S. C.) News. 

“ We understand that Captain Bonehill will soon be turning from sporting stories to 
tales of the war. This field is one ia which he should feel thoroughly at home. We are 
certain that the boys will look eagerly for the Bonehill war tales ." — Weekly Messenger^ 

<•) THE MERSHON COMPANY 

J5< Fifth Avenue, New York Rahway, N. J, 


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